


Christmas in Hope Valley

by Tigergirl1223



Category: When Calls the Heart (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Gen, Hope Valley
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-20
Updated: 2018-11-17
Packaged: 2019-06-13 15:06:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 42
Words: 81,913
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15367278
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tigergirl1223/pseuds/Tigergirl1223
Summary: A story about Christmas in Hope Valley. Will be similar to the two Christmas specials though with my own plot line. Also, the Thornton and Coulter children are a little older as their birthdays are based on the birthdays from After the Kiss. As always, please read and review! Disclaimer: the only characters I own are William, Mary, and Charlotte Thornton and Lilly and Aaron Coulter.





	1. Chapter 1

It was the first Sunday of Advent and the residents of Hope Valley knew this time officially signaled the beginning of the preparations for Christmas. After Pastor Frank had finished the service that Sunday, the town’s people quickly began to discuss their preparations and delegated tasks to prepare Hope Valley for the Christmas season. Rosemary was once again in charge of the Christmas committee and assigned responsibilities along with overseeing all projects’ completions. Elizabeth was responsible for the Nativity Play, Dottie, the costumes, Abigail, the Christmas feast, Jack, Bill and Lee, the town decorations, and Frank, all religious components of the month. Of course, the town children were running around asking their parents whether they could write to Santa and discussing with each other what they hoped Santa brought them for Christmas. After fellowship, everyone went home to begin working on the duties assigned to them. Elizabeth sat down at the dining room table and immediately began to create time in her lesson plans to prepare the play for Christmas Eve. Jack kissed her on her head and sat down next to her, “You’ve done this play many times before Elizabeth, I’m sure it’ll be a success.”  
“I know,” sighed Elizabeth, “Still stressful to deal with the rehearsals and the auditions for Joseph and Mary. Not to mention the fact that I normally allow the older children to try out for Joseph and Mary, children over seven, and this year, a certain someone is over seven.”  
“Oh,” Jack smirked gesturing his head towards the house next door.  
“Yeah,” chuckled Elizabeth.  
“Maybe she won’t want to audition for Mary,” smirked Jack, clearly not meaning a word he was saying.  
“Right,” said Elizabeth sarcastically. She took a deep breath and gathered the paperwork on the table, “I have to get dinner started. Do you think you could keep the kids distracted so they’re not under my feet?”  
“Of course sweetheart,” he kissed her, “William, Mary, Charlotte, how about we play outside while Mommy cooks dinner!”  
“Yeah!” they all cheered as Jack gathered a few toys for them to play with outside.  
“Call us in right before dinner’s ready and I’ll make sure they wash up,” he kissed her cheek, “Love you.”  
“You too,” said Elizabeth.  
After Elizabeth had finished cooking dinner, she called her children and husband back into the house and had them clean up before setting the table. They said their mealtime prayer before they began to eat, “Mommy, why was Aunt Rosemary being so bossy after church today?” asked Charlotte.  
“Charlotte Grace Thornton,” warned Jack.  
“Sorry Mommy,” she apologized. Even at three, the twins knew a middle name meant they had to apologize.  
“Apology accepted,” acknowledged Elizabeth, “Aunt Rosemary isn’t exactly bossy, she’s just…a natural leader,” Jack chuckled at his wife. He knew she agreed with Charlotte 100% but wouldn’t dare show it, “Now finish your dinner and you can have some ice cream for dessert.”  
Charlotte smiled and immediately began to devour her food. After dinner, Jack and Elizabeth washed the dishes and Elizabeth went to bathe the kids before settling them into bed. After she had tucked the three of them in for the night, she went back downstairs where her husband was working on some Mountie reports. He smiled when he saw her and put his reports away before he sat next to her on the couch, “Well it’s that time of the year in Hope Valley again, Mrs. Thornton. Are you up for the challenge?”  
Elizabeth chuckled as she laid her head against his chest, “I’m always ready for any challenge with you by my side.”  
******************************************************************************  
The next morning, the Thorntons were up bright and early for the day. Elizabeth got the girls ready so Abigail could pick them up and then made sure William was dressed and his lunch was packed for the school day, “Well, I’m off to work. I love you girls, so much,” he kissed Mary and then Charlotte.  
“We love you too, Daddy,” they both giggled.  
“You’re not eating breakfast?” questioned Elizabeth sadly.  
“I’ll just get a coffee and scone at Abigail’s. I’m sure Clara will be looking after the café until Abigail can arrive with the girls.”  
“Have a good day, Daddy,” smiled William, hugging him.  
“You too, Buddy,” he embraced his son, “Love you sweetheart,” he kissed Elizabeth.  
“Love you too. Have a good day,” she smiled.  
He went to leave but turned around and smirked, “Good luck with the auditions.”  
“Don’t remind me,” said Elizabeth. Once Abigail had stopped by, Elizabeth and William went to the church where many of the other children had already arrived. Elizabeth entered the classroom and rung her cowbell, signaling the start of the day, “Good morning boys and girls!” she greeted happily.  
“Good morning, Mrs. Thornton,” they all chorused back.  
“Now, I’m sure you’re all aware it’s the time of the year where our main focus is the Nativity play we perform for Hope Valley on Christmas Eve. So every afternoon from now until Christmas Eve will be spent rehearing and getting everything ready. But first, we have to make a list of who wants to audition for Joseph and Mary. Remember you must be at least seven years old to try out for the part of Joseph or Mary, but don’t worry, everyone will have a role in the production,” Elizabeth grabbed a pad of paper and a pencil, “So, we’ll start with Joseph. Boys, who’s interested?”  
The boys looked at each other before Cody said, “I’ll audition, Mrs. Thornton.”  
“Alright Cody,” Elizabeth said, writing his name down on the list, “Anyone else?”  
Robert hesitantly raised his hand, “I’d like to, Mrs. Thornton.”  
Elizabeth scribbled his name down and looked over towards William. She knew he was thinking about it, but didn’t want to say anything since she was his mother, “William, would you like to audition?”  
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea,” he said softly.  
Elizabeth came over to him and said, “It’s okay if you do. I don’t mind.”  
“Alright,” he agreed. Elizabeth wrote her son’s name down and made a mental note to recruit a few more people to help with the auditions so it wouldn’t look suspicious if William did earn the part. She took a deep breath, bracing herself for her next question, “Alright girls, who’s interested in auditioning for Mary?”  
An energetic, bubbly, blond-haired, green-eyed girl sitting in the front shot her hand in the air eagerly. This was the same girl whom Elizabeth expected to be the first to volunteer, “Lilly Coulter, of course,” Elizabeth wrote down her Goddaughter’s name, “Who else?”  
“Mommy has been helping me practice for the audition,” boasted Lilly proudly.  
“Well that’s good sweetheart,” said Elizabeth, placating her.  
“I’ll audition,” said Emily.  
Elizabeth smiled and wrote Emily’s name down. At least Lilly wasn’t auditioning unopposed.  
“Mrs. Thornton, would it be okay if Brownie and I auditioned?” asked Opal sweetly.  
“Of course Opal, but I think Brownie should be your moral support,” she smiled. After school, Elizabeth gathered her things and William and she walked home, picking up Mary and Charlotte on the way.  
Once the family arrived home, the kids ran towards their father, “DADDY!” they all shouted happily.  
“Hey, there’s my little ones,” he said cheerfully, kissing all of them, “And one for my other girl,” he kissed Elizabeth.  
“Well, preparations for the Nativity play are officially in full force,” commented Elizabeth.  
“And?” asked Jack, raising his eyebrows.  
“She was the first one to volunteer to audition for Mary,” Elizabeth laughed, “Says that ‘Mommy has been helping me practice for the audition’,” said Elizabeth in quotes for emphasis.  
Jack chuckled, “You know if she doesn’t get the part, you’ll have to deal with a lot of tears, right?”  
“Yes, I will, but if it gets to be too much, I’m sure Lee will calm Rosemary down. And then he can work on helping Lilly,” smirked Elizabeth.  
Jack chuckled. They both weren’t sure who wanted Lilly to get the part of Mary more, “Well, I have some more work to do, so I’ll be upstairs if you need me.”  
Elizabeth nodded and put on her apron to start dinner. One thing was for sure, with everyone in Hope Valley contributing something special, Elizabeth had the feeling this Christmas was going to be truly unique.


	2. Chapter 2

Over the course of the next week, Elizabeth helped William prepare for his audition and also began to assign roles to the other children who were not auditioning for Joseph or Mary. She recruited Dottie, Bill, and Florence to help her with the auditions that Friday. Finally, Friday morning arrived and Elizabeth was more than ready to get the auditions over with today. Jack wished Elizabeth and William luck before he left for the day. Elizabeth got Mary and Charlotte ready before she stopped by Abigail’s café for breakfast. Abigail smiled when she saw her Godchildren enter the room, “Good morning, Elizabeth,” she smiled, embracing the younger woman.  
“Aunt Abigail,” Mary shouted excitedly.  
“Hi Mary,” she said, hugging the young girl. She looked up at Elizabeth and asked, “So, are you ready for the auditions?”  
Elizabeth sighed, “It’s not really the auditions I’m nervous about, it’s the casting.”  
Abigail laughed lightly, “I know Lilly and Rosie have been a handful this past week.”  
Elizabeth chuckled, “Understatement of the year. I have Bill, Florence, and Dottie helping me since this one is auditioning,” she smiled proudly at William.  
“Cody admits if he doesn’t get the part, he’ll just be happy with whatever role he’s playing,” said Abigail, “Frank has been helping him prepare some this week though. Do you want some coffee?”  
Elizabeth nodded gratefully, “Yes, please,” Abigail obtained the pot and poured some coffee for Elizabeth and milk for the children, “So, how’s the big Christmas feast coming?”  
Abigail sighed, “Well, Cat, Molly, and Clara have been helping me come up with ideas, but it will involve an awful lot of cooking for an entire town. It’s nothing that we can’t handle though.”  
Elizabeth nodded as she finished her coffee. She glanced at the time and gathered her things, “William, it’s time for school.”  
“Alright Mommy,” he said, “Have a good day, Aunt Abigail.”  
“Good luck, William,” she embraced the young boy.  
“Bye bye, Mommy,” Mary and Charlotte said, reaching up to hug Elizabeth.  
“Love you girls so much,” she kissed them both, “Be good for Aunt Abigail today.”  
“They are. Most of the time,” she said.  
Elizabeth and William arrived at school and Elizabeth promptly began the day with math. After science, lunch, and recess, Elizabeth announced the roles she had chosen for each of the students, “Alright, now for those of you auditioning for Joseph or Mary, I need you to stay a little later. Don’t worry, I’ve let your Moms and Dads know,” informed Elizabeth, “The rest of you are dismissed.”  
The children ran out of the room just as Bill, Dottie, and Florence arrived, “Afternoon Elizabeth,” greeted Bill.  
“Nice to see you all,” said Elizabeth. She pulled them aside, “Alright, for Joseph, we have Cody, Robert, and William auditioning. And we have Opal, Emily, and Lilly trying out for Mary.”  
Dottie raised her eyebrows, “I figured Lilly was trying out. That explains why Rosemary has been extra helpful this week after she heard I was helping you.”  
Elizabeth smirked and covered her mouth a little, “Well let’s get started with the boys,” Elizabeth walked over to them, “Alright boys, who wants to go first?”  
They all looked at each other before Robert said, “I’ll go, Mrs. Thornton.”  
Elizabeth smiled softly and gestured towards the piano, “The rest of you can wait outside,” directed Elizabeth. They nodded and went outside. Elizabeth joined the other three individuals and one by one, she had each boy sing Silent Night and read a few lines of dialogue while she and her assistants took notes. Once William had completed his turn, Elizabeth rubbed her son’s back and said, “Why don’t you wait outside with Aaron and the girls while I do the Mary auditions,” William nodded and Elizabeth went outside, “Alright girls, we’re ready to have your auditions. Who wants to go…?”  
“I do, I do!” shouted Lilly, waving her hand eagerly. Aaron shook his head comically at his sister, much to Elizabeth’s amusement. Aaron Coulter was much more laid back like Lee, unlike Lillian who was basically Rosemary’s mini-me in both looks and personality.  
“Then come on in, Ms. Coulter,” smiled Elizabeth.  
“Hi Mr. Avery, hi Mrs. Blakeley, hi Mrs. Ramsey,” said Lilly happily. Clearly, the young girl was trying to win their good side. They all nodded politely and Elizabeth went through the same routine for Lilly, Opal, and Emily, only having them read for the part of Mary. Once she had finished with Emily’s audition, Elizabeth called the boys back in and said, “Well, thank you all for auditioning. Mr. Avery, Mrs. Blakeley, Mrs. Ramsey, and I will be comparing notes and we will announce on Monday who will be playing Mary and Joseph in our Nativity play. You all are dismissed.”  
Cody, Robert, Emily, and Opal left and Lilly grabbed her brother’s hand to lead him home, “Bye Aunt Elizabeth,” she waved happily and Aaron waved as well.  
“Bye Lilly, bye Aaron,” she called her goodbye. She turned to her friends and said, “Thanks for all of your help. With my son and Goddaughter auditioning, I didn’t want to do them alone.”  
“It’s no problem, Elizabeth,” assured Florence.  
“We were happy to help,” said Bill, “Now I think a certain someone is ready to go home,” he pointed to William, patiently waiting.  
“You ready, sweetheart?” she asked. He nodded and they headed home where Jack had started dinner since he knew Elizabeth was going to be a little late.  
“Daddy!” shouted William, happily running to greet his father.  
“Hey Buddy,” Jack embraced him and kissed his cheek, “How did the audition go?”  
“Okay, I guess,” William sighed.  
“Well, we’re having your favorite for dinner, chicken fried steak and potatoes,” said Jack, “Now take your sisters and go wash up for dinner,” William nodded and ushered Mary and Charlotte upstairs. Elizabeth heaved a sigh as she plopped down at the table. Jack kissed her and sat down next to her. He grabbed her hand and asked, “How did it go?”  
“Well for Joseph,” Elizabeth scrubbed her face, “I know it’s going to look like I’m biased and maybe I am a little, but William did truly do the best. Cody was off key for Silent Night and Robert stumbled over his lines multiple times. I just don’t want it to look like favoritism.”  
Jack nodded, “Alright, and the girls?”  
Elizabeth sighed, “Lilly did really well. She had the voice of an angel and said her lines perfectly but…”  
“But what?” Jack squeezed her hand.  
Elizabeth chuckled lightly, “Opal did really well too and I feel I could use this opportunity to teach a lesson in humility.”  
“To Lilly or to the woman who gave birth to her?” Jack joked, grinning from ear to ear.  
Elizabeth laughed, “To Lilly, but to Rosie too,” she admitted, “But she is our Goddaughter and she did do well. Plus Lee would probably suffer at home if I gave the part to anyone besides Lillian…”  
“Elizabeth,” said Jack interrupting her, “You have your three helpers coming over tomorrow where you can talk about it to them. But you have to go with your gut instinct.”  
Elizabeth smiled, grateful that she married a man who always knew what to say to make her feel better, “You always do know what to say to make me feel better.”  
“Always, my sweet Elizabeth,” he kissed her once more.  
The kids tore down the stairs, “Mommy, Daddy, is dinner ready yet?” asked Charlotte.  
“And do we get ice cream for dessert again?” asked Mary.  
Elizabeth chuckled, “Yes dinner’s almost ready and only if you finish most everything on your plate,” Elizabeth answered her twins.  
“Okey dokey,” said Mary, happily taking a seat at the table.  
Everyone heard a knock at the door and Jack went to answer it. A man they didn’t recognized was on the other side, “May I help you?” asked Jack.  
“Yes, I’m looking for Constable Jack Thornton.”


	3. Chapter 3

“I’m Constable Jack Thornton,” Jack confirmed.  
“Kids, why don’t you go upstairs,” Elizabeth whispered softly while shooing the children up the stairs. She joined her husband’s side.  
“My wife, Elizabeth Thornton,” Jack introduced, “May I ask your name, sir?”  
“Harry Stonewall, it’s a pleasure,” he shook both of their hands, “I served in the North West Mounted Police with your father, Constable Thomas Thornton.”  
“Well thank you for your service, Constable Stonewall,” said Jack, “May I ask what this visit is about sir?”  
“I’m actually in Hope Valley to settle some things here. I was just wondering if you knew a good place to stay? I ran into a Mr. Bill Avery and he said to go visit the local Mountie. When I found out you were Constable Thornton’s son, I figured I could trust you and you would know best,” said Harry.  
“Well, sir, there are rooms above the saloon, I can go by my office and check you into one of them,” offered Jack.  
“Sounds good, Constable,” said Harry.  
“I’ll be right back, honey,” said Jack, kissing her on the cheek.  
“Try not to take too long. I’ll keep your plate warm in the oven,” said Elizabeth.  
Jack nodded and squeezed her hand before leading Harry towards Main Street. Elizabeth heaved a sigh and stuck Jack’s plate in the oven before sitting back down at the dining room table, “Mommy?” she heard William come down the stairs.  
Elizabeth looked over towards the stairs where her son had a worried look on his face, “What is it, sweetheart?”  
William walked over to Elizabeth and wrapped his arms around her, “Daddy isn’t going away again, is he?”  
Elizabeth rubbed his back, “No, sweetheart, he’s not going away again,” she assured him. Jack had had to leave twice over the course of William’s life so far. The first time, he had gone to the Northern Territories when William was three and he had been gone for nearly a year. The second time had been when Elizabeth was pregnant with the twins and he had gone to train Mounties. There had been a tragic landslide that had taken several of the men’s lives, but thankfully, Jack made it out alive and was home a few weeks before their daughters were born. Elizabeth knew how hard it was for William not to have his father around during those times; thankfully, Lee had stepped into the father figure role during the periods when Jack was away on an assignment.  
Jack came back inside and shivered a little, as it was pretty chilly in Hope Valley once the sun set. He looked around and noticed Mary and Charlotte were still upstairs, “Girls, come finish your dinner!” he called.  
The sets of little feet came pattering down the stairs and they went back to their food as if nothing had been interrupted at all. Neither one of them had been around during Jack’s absences. It was fairly quiet at the dinner table other than the clinking of forks on the plates. Once dinner and dessert had been served, Jack laid his hand on the small of Elizabeth’s back and said, “I’ll help them get ready for bed while you wash the dishes.”  
“Okay, I’ll be up to tuck them in as soon as I’m done,” she nodded.  
Jack kissed her cheek and went upstairs where Elizabeth could hear her children running around in their rooms and the bathroom. Once Elizabeth had finished washing the dishes, she hung up her apron and went upstairs where she could hear Jack helping Mary and Charlotte brush their teeth and William saying his bedtime prayers. The twins came tearing out of the bathroom and went to their room, Jack following behind them. The two parents tucked William, Mary, and Charlotte into bed before they decided to turn in for the night. They changed for bed and crawled under the covers, both silently reading before Elizabeth spoke, “What did Constable Stonewall want?”  
Jack shrugged, “He never really specified. Just said that there was someone here he wanted to visit.”  
Elizabeth closed the book she was reading and turned to face him, “William was worried you were leaving again. He misses his Dad when you’re not around.”  
“I know he does,” Jack sighed sadly, “But I don’t think I’m going anywhere for a while.”  
Elizabeth grinned and cuddled next to him, “Well, that’s always good for me to hear, Constable Thornton.”  
Jack closed his book and rubbed her back, “It’s just Jack Thornton to you,” he kissed her before he turned off the lamp, “I love you, sweetheart.”  
“I love you too,” she responded.  
******************************************************************************  
Over the course of the weekend, Elizabeth met with Florence, Bill, and Dottie about the two major roles for the Nativity play. One vote was unanimous while there was some debate on the other role, though the vote ended up being three to one. That Monday, Elizabeth began her lessons as per usual, figuring it would be better to wait until the end of the day to announce Joseph and Mary. Once the end of the day finally arrived, Elizabeth set her chalk down on the ledge, “Before we leave today, I’d like to announce the students who will be Joseph and Mary in our Nativity play. First of all, I want to congratulate everyone who tried out, as I know you all did your best. But unfortunately, there can only be one Joseph and one Mary. When I call your name, please join me at the front of the room. So the person playing Joseph is…” Elizabeth hesitated before she called his name, “William Thornton,” there were a few groans but most of the class, including Cody and Robert, clapped happily for him as William walked towards the front of the room, “And our Mary will be…” Lillian began to stand, “Opal Weise.”  
Lilly’s face fell, “What?”  
“Me?” asked Opal shocked.  
“Yes, you, come on up,” Elizabeth motioned. She let the students congratulate their classmates for a few moments longer before she announced, “Class is dismissed.”  
The students gathered their things minus William, who, of course, had to wait for Elizabeth. Elizabeth noticed Lilly angrily grabbing her books. The young girl had tears in her eyes, so Elizabeth tried to approach her but Lilly quickly grabbed Aaron’s hand and stormed off, “Bye Aunt Elizabeth!” waved Aaron.  
******************************************************************************  
Rosemary had just started dinner when she heard her children open the front door. She set down the spoon and smiled broadly, “There’s my little Superstar!” she beamed only to notice the tears in Lilly’s eyes, “Oh no, oh dear,” she crouched down in front of Lilly, “What’s the matter, my little Lilly Bug?”  
“I didn’t…get…the part….of…Mary,” Lilly sobbed and hiccupped.  
Rosemary’s eyes widened, “You didn’t? Who did?” she asked in shock.  
“Opal did Mommy,” said Aaron quietly.  
Rosemary sucked in a sharp breath and embraced her daughter lovingly, running her hand up and down Lilly’s back, “It’s alright, sweetheart. Mommy will take care of it.”  
Lee entered the room at that moment, “Hey honey, I’m home,” he said only to find a fuming wife comforting a wailing daughter, “Whoa, what happened?”  
“She didn’t get the part of Mary, Daddy. Opal did,” Aaron whispered to his father.  
“Ah,” he said and bent down to hug Lilly, “It’s okay, Little Flower,” he soothed.  
“No it’s not,” screamed Lilly and ran upstairs.  
“Lilly,” said Lee, but then he decided it was better to let his daughter cool off. He had another Coulter woman to comfort at the moment, “Aaron, why don’t you go start your homework.”  
“Aunt Elizabeth didn’t give us any today,” said Aaron.  
“Well, then go play in your room. I have to talk to Mommy,” said Lee and Aaron disappeared up the stairs.  
Lee turned towards the kitchen only to find his wife vigorously chopping potatoes, “I can’t believe I left that scoundrel in charge of the Nativity play,” she shouted angrily.  
Lee raised his eyebrows and reminded, “You mean our children’s Godmother?”  
“Ugh, that makes it even worse!” said Rosemary, “I knew I should have directed the play myself but being in charge of everything again this year I needed help. I thought I could trust Elizabeth to make the right decision.”  
“And she probably did…” said Lee, though he obviously wasn’t going to get a word in edgewise.  
“You know what?” she slammed the knife down and wiped her hands on a towel, “Elizabeth and William are probably back home by now. I can go take care of the problem.” She headed towards the door.  
“Rosemary, I really think you should…” Lee began to say until the door slammed, “And there she goes.”  
******************************************************************************  
Jack was just finishing up his daily report and Elizabeth was washing vegetables when they heard knocking, or more accurately, pounding on the door. Jack peeked out the window and Elizabeth asked, “Is it an intruder?”  
“Worse,” Jack sighed jokingly as he opened the door and in barged Rosemary.  
“Elizabeth Victoria Thornton, I trusted you!” she shouted furiously.  
“Nice to see you too, Rosemary,” said Elizabeth calmly. She knew exactly why Rosemary was in her house and fully expected the reaction she was currently receiving.  
“Aunt Rosemary,” shouted Mary and Charlotte running down the stairs.  
“Hi girls,” Rosemary smiled, hugging them both and kissing them on the cheek. For a woman who wasn’t always too fond of children, Rosemary had a soft spot for William, Mary, Charlotte, and of course Lilly and Aaron, “Tell you what, how about we spend a little time together this weekend if you let me discuss something with your Mommy tonight. Deal?”  
“Deal!” they both said simultaneously and ran back upstairs. Rosemary’s warm smile quickly disappeared again as her eyes landed on Elizabeth, “Rosie,” warned Jack. He was about the only other person besides Lee who could calm her down, “Be nice.”  
“Why should I? Your wife over here gave the part of Mary to someone other than my sweet little Lilly Bug,” she said.  
“Rosemary, Lilly’s only seven. They’ll be plenty of opportunities for her to try out again. Maybe she’ll get the part of Mary in the future,” said Jack.  
“And just think, with Lilly not playing Mary this year, you can work with her more and make her even better!” said Elizabeth brightly.  
Rosemary’s eyes lit up, “That’s right I can. This was only the first year she was eligible to audition. What was I thinking?” asked Rosemary, more to herself than to the Thorntons, “Lee was right. You knew what you were doing. I’m sorry Elizabeth, Jack,” she apologized.  
“That’s okay, Rosie,” said Jack, “We both know how much you and Lilly wanted her to get the part.”  
She hugged them both, “Well, I better go calm Lilly down. I’m sure Lee has his hands full,” said Rosemary hugging them, “Sorry for interrupting.”  
“No problem, Rosie,” said Jack as Rosemary left. He turned to Elizabeth and they both took a deep breath, grateful that another disaster was avoided.


	4. Chapter 4

Over the next few days, Elizabeth began rehearsing for the Christmas Pageant every afternoon at school, though she was having trouble getting Lilly to accept the fact that she was ‘only an angel’. Thankfully, Aaron was more than happy to play a sheep, so Lee and Rosie only had to deal with the attitude of one child at home. Saturday arrived and though she dearly loved teaching, it was always nice for Elizabeth to have a few days to spend with her husband, children, and friends. Every Saturday, the Thorntons, the Coulters, and the Hogans would always gather for lunch at the café while their children would eat and then play together outside. After the Thornton and Coulter children along with Cody and Becky had finished their meals, they went outside to play and let their parents talk, “So how are the costumes coming along?” asked Elizabeth to Rosemary.  
“Good,” admitted Rosemary, “But Dottie and I will need to measure the children to make sure they fit correctly. And I know my Honey Bunny, Jack, Bill are working hard to make Hope Valley look festive,” she giggled.  
“Sweetheart,” sighed Lee jokingly, even though he knew she meant it as a joke, “And by the way, Hope Valley will never be able to compete with the inside of the Coulter house.”   
“Well, some the decorations got delivered today. Do you want to go find Bill and see if we can make the town square up to the standards of your living room?” smirked Jack.  
“Sounds good to me, if it’s okay with you ladies,” said Lee.  
“Go, this town isn’t going to get decorated on its own,” said Rosemary.  
“Alright, love you,” said Lee kissing Rosie on the cheek.  
“See you later, honey,” said Jack, kissing Elizabeth as well.   
Frank looked at his watch and said, “Well, I should probably start getting some stuff ready for services tomorrow. I will see you later,” he confirmed, patting Abigail on the shoulder.   
“Of course,” smiled Abigail, squeezing her husband’s hand.   
He smiled and disappeared upstairs. Rosemary glanced over at a man in the corner, drinking a cup of coffee and eating a cucumber sandwich, “I want to know more about this mysterious man.”  
“All I know is he’s been here every day this week, eating a cucumber sandwich and drinking a cup of coffee. He says he’s here to meet with someone but I have no idea whom he wants to meet,” informed Abigail.   
Elizabeth sighed and had the two other women lean in closer to her, “His name is Harry Stonewall. He’s a Constable who served under Jack’s father. He’s staying at the saloon. He’s only been in town a few days, but he showed up at our front door a few nights ago. Neither one of us know why he’s here in Hope Valley.”   
The other two women nodded just as Cody came into the room, “Mom, can we have some cookies?” he asked sweetly.  
Abigail smiled and got up from her seat, “Only one for every one, young man. The rest are for closer to Christmas.” She followed her son into the kitchen.  
Rosemary and Elizabeth smiled at the pair and Rosemary absentmindedly put another spoonful of sugar in her tea, “So how are play rehearsals going?”  
Elizabeth took a deep breath, pondering on how to answer Rosemary honestly without upsetting her, “They’ve been going well. Except one person…” Elizabeth trailed off mid-sentence.  
“I know, I know,” Rosemary admitted, “She’s not taking it well. I really shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up. I was just excited to spend more time with her again.”  
“What do you mean?” asked Elizabeth, taking a sip of tea.  
Rosemary sighed, “I mean, you might not fully understand. You still have two girls who are young and even when they start school, they’ll be with you all day just like William is. I just…” she stirred her spoon in her cup, “I miss the kids being little. I miss having them around all the time. When Lilly started school, I was a wreck.”  
“I remember,” smirked Elizabeth at the memory of Lilly’s first day of school. Lilly was more than happy to start her schooling years. Rosemary, on the other hand, not so much.  
“When Lilly started school, I poured all of my time into playing with Aaron. Now that he’s started school too, it gets lonely sometimes with the kids at school and Lee at work. Working at the dress shop several days a week helps but still. That’s also why I’ve put myself back in charge of the Christmas committee. It gives me something to do,” Rosemary elaborated.  
“Ah Rosie,” said Elizabeth, grabbing her hand, “Just because I get to teach them doesn’t mean I like the fact that my babies are growing up too fast for my liking.”   
Rosemary’s breath shook a little, “I’m sorry I’m dumping all of this on you, I think it’s just that…Aaron asked for a little brother or sister this Christmas.”   
“Oh,” said Elizabeth in surprise.  
“Yeah, Lilly’s been gushing to him how awesome it is to be his big sister and William has been telling him how great it is to be a big brother,” explained Rosemary.  
“I see,” said Elizabeth.  
“The thing is Lee and I have actually talked about having one more Coulter baby before I retire my childbearing days, ever since Aaron turned about four, but it’s just not happening. It was difficult and stressing enough beforehand, but now, it feels like if we don’t give him a sibling soon, he’ll be really disappointed. He’s such a good boy, and I don’t want to upset him.”  
“Rosemary, I’m sorry, I didn’t realize you were going through all of this adversity,” admitted Elizabeth.  
“That’s because you’re the first person I’ve told. No one knows other than Lee,” said Rosemary.  
“Well, if it’s meant to be, it’ll happen,” said Elizabeth, “God is in control.”   
“Yeah, I guess you’re right,” Rosemary squeezed her friend’s hand, “You really are a good teacher aren’t you?”  
“That’s what everyone around here says,” chuckled Elizabeth, “So what are your back-up gifts?”  
“Lee’s made him a few new toy cars,” smiled Rosemary.   
“Sounds like William’s presents,” laughed Elizabeth.   
The two women turned their heads as they heard the bell ring and in walked Gowen, “Looks like Gowen’s back from Winnipeg,” said Rosemary.  
Gowen looked around the café and froze when he saw the man sitting at the corner table. Harry looked up at Gowen and said, “Hello Henry.”  
Gowen gulped a little, but nodded politely, “Hello Harry.”


	5. Chapter 5

“Mind if we talk? Alone?” asked Harry to Gowen.  
Gowen nodded, “Of course,” he said apprehensively. The two men walked outside and over to a secluded spot. Soon, they stopped and Gowen put his hands on his hips, “What are you doing here, Harry?”  
Harry raised his eyebrows, “I haven’t seen you since we were in our 20s playing along with our other cousins back in Toronto,” said Harry.  
“So?” asked Gowen, crossing his arms, “I’ve lived in Hope Valley for thirty years and you’ve never once visited. I know sometimes you were on assignments, but you never cared to even write back and we’ve gone our separate ways.”  
“Coming from the same person who’s been cold and cynical, nearly bankrupting an entire town with his greed, being responsible for the death of forty men, creating a town of widows and fatherless children,” scolded Harry, “Oh yeah, I read the newspapers.”  
“That was the past, Harry,” stated Gowen firmly.  
“Well, unlike you, I volunteered to defend Canada through thick and thin, not destroy it,” said Harry.  
“Did you come all the way from Toronto just to give me a piece of your mind?” asked Gowen.  
“No,” answered Harry, “I actually came to inform you that Mom died.”  
“Aunt Martha died?” asked Gowen in surprise, “When?”  
“Shortly after Thanksgiving,” informed Harry, “The lawyers wanted to meet with you because Mom left you some inheritance in her will. I have no idea why, but I promised them I would find you. I’m surprised your fellow residents haven’t driven you out of town yet.”  
“Well, how did you find me?” asked Gowen.  
“I spoke with some old Mountie friends of mine. When they told me my cousin was in the same town that Constable Thornton’s son was stationed at, I looked to where he was and then found out you had never left Hope Valley.”  
Gowen nodded, “Well, I’ll arrange to go to Toronto after Christmas. Thank you for letting me know.”  
“You’re still my cousin, plus Mountie’s honor,” said Harry, heading back towards the saloon.  
******************************************************************************  
The following Monday, Elizabeth reported to school bright and early since it would be the last full week of school before Christmas break. Elizabeth took attendance and realized everyone except Aaron was present. Elizabeth crouched down in front of Lilly and asked softly, “Where’s your brother, Lilly?”  
Lilly looked up at Elizabeth and said, “He’s sick, Mrs. Thornton. He was sneezing, coughing, and throwing up all night. He also has a fever, so Mommy made him stay home.”  
“Oh. Well, I’m sorry to hear that. Maybe I can drop off his school work later today,” said Elizabeth.  
Lilly nodded and Elizabeth went to the front of the classroom. As the day wore on, Elizabeth noticed more and more that something was off with Lillian as well. She was sneezing and coughing a lot and the young girl was very quiet, which was unusual for her. What shocked Elizabeth the most was that Lillian wasn’t giving her any problems during that afternoon’s Nativity play rehearsal. Once the school day was over, Elizabeth bent down in front of Lilly and rubbed her back soothingly, “Lillian, are you feeling alright?”  
“My head hurts,” Lillian rubbed her head.  
“Well, why don’t we get you home so you can rest,” said Elizabeth, “Come on, William.”  
“Okay, Mommy,” he replied. The three arrived at the row houses and William went into the Thornton house while Elizabeth dropped off Lilly at the Coulter residence.  
Lee was sitting in the living room reviewing some sales when he saw his daughter and her Godmother enter, “Hey, Little Flower, how was school?”  
“Daddy, I don’t feel good,” Lilly whined, “My head and throat hurt.”  
Lee’s eyes widened and he felt her forehead, “Rosie!” he shouted.  
Rosemary ran down the stairs, “What Lee? I’m dealing with Aaron right now!” she shouted a little perturbed.  
“Lilly’s burning up, I think she’s sick too,” informed Lee.  
Rosemary gained a look of protectiveness and felt Lilly’s forehead, “Ah Lilly Bug, go upstairs and get into bed. Mommy will take care of you,” said Rosemary.  
Lilly nodded and went upstairs, coughing and sneezing the whole way up. Elizabeth turned to the couple and handed some stuff to Rosemary, “Here’s Aaron’s school work. It doesn’t have to be turned in right away.”  
“Thank you,” said Rosemary, setting it down on the coffee table, “Oh I just realized, I won’t be able to join you all for the cookie baking this evening.”  
“Oh that’s okay. Everyone will understand I’m sure,” comforted Elizabeth.  
“Why don’t you go with the others tonight,” said Lee, standing up and stroking Rosemary’s back, “I can watch the kids for a few hours.”  
“Are you sure? Because I’m sure they’ll both want me,” said Rosemary, the anxiety evident in her eyes.  
“Rosie, you’ve been with Aaron all day. You need to take care of yourself too,” said Lee.  
“Alright,” sighed Rosemary, still not fully convinced, “I made some chicken noodle soup and there’s still a warm pot on the stove. Buckets are under their beds. Extra blankets are in the bathroom closet. Thermometer is on the nightstand,” she instructed, “I’ve been taking his temperature every hour and giving him water every half-hour.”  
“Try not to worry, Rosie,” said Lee squeezing her shoulders.  
“It’s hard not to,” she admitted.  
He kissed her forehead, “I love you.”  
“Love you too,” she smiled and followed Elizabeth outside after bundling under a coat. They walked over to the café where the cookie baking would be held, but Elizabeth noticed something was off with Rosemary, “You okay, Rosemary?” asked Elizabeth gently.  
“Yeah,” said Rosemary, “Just tired. Lee and I didn’t get much sleep last night because Aaron wanted to sleep in our bed plus taking care of him all day.”  
“Well, look after yourself. The worst thing you could do is get sick because of caregiver burnout,” said Elizabeth. They arrived at the café, where several individuals already had started mixing cookie dough.  
“Rosemary, Elizabeth,” smiled Abigail, hugging them both, “Where are Lee and the kids?”  
“They’re both sick. Lee’s looking after them,” said Rosemary.  
“Ah, I’m sorry to hear that,” sympathized Abigail, “Well, some of us have started already. Sugar cookies are here, chocolate chip over here, and peanut butter over there,” she pointed to the various stations.  
“Mommy! Aunt Rosemary!” shouted Mary and Charlotte, running over to them. They were both covered in flower.  
“Hi, my beautiful girls,” smiled Elizabeth, kissing them both on the cheek, “What station are Daddy and William at?”  
“Chocolate chip,” answered Mary.  
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, “Of course they are,” the twins ran back to their father and brother and Elizabeth looked at Rosemary, “So what station do you want to go to?" Rosemary didn’t respond; instead she was taking a few deep breaths, “Rosemary?” asked Elizabeth, waving her hand in front of her friend.  
“I’m okay, just a little dizzy,” she answered.  
“Are you sure you don’t want to go back home? You might be coming down with whatever Lilly and Aaron have,” said Elizabeth, feeling Rosie’s forehead, “No fever, but that doesn’t mean anything quite yet.”  
“I’ll be fine Elizabeth,” said Rosemary, pushing Elizabeth away lightly, “I’m sure it’s just time for my cycle.”  
“Alright,” sighed Elizabeth, following her friend into the kitchen. The two women joined Jack and the Thornton children. They all had a blast making cookies but soon, Rosemary decided it was time to go home.  
“I think I’m going to go home and rest for the night. I can already feel a headache forming and I feel a little nauseous. Maybe I am coming down with whatever bug Lilly and Aaron have,” she admitted.  
“Well, take it easy Rosie. You’re no use to your kids if you’re sick too,” said Jack embracing her.  
“I can see why you both are made for each other,” she smirked between Jack and Elizabeth. She turned to leave, but stopped and leaned against the table when another dizzy spell and bout of nausea washed over her.  
“Do you need help getting home?” asked Elizabeth in concern.  
Rosemary shook her head, “No, I’m fine. Just got a little dizzy again. I’ll see you tomorrow to get the kids’ work.”  
“Take it easy,” said Jack and they all waved.  
******************************************************************************  
Once Rosemary arrived home, no one was on the first floor, so she went upstairs and checked on the kids. Thankfully, they were both sleeping so she went to the master bedroom where Lee was dressed for bed and reading. He smiled when he saw her enter the room, “How was cookie baking, sweetheart?”  
“It was good,” she answered and changed into her nightgown, “Everyone got a lot done, though I left a little early because I’m not feeling 100%,” she admitted.  
Lee scowled, “How bad?”  
“Just dizziness, headaches, bosom tenderness, you know everything that normally happens right before my cycle starts,” she said, crawling into bed next to her husband. Lee nodded, not delving any further into the discussion, “How are the kids?”  
Lee sighed, “They’re both feeling miserable. I guess if they don’t get better soon, we should have Carson examine them.”  
Rosemary nodded and snuggled against Lee but winced when her head started to throb from the noise of the Thornton family entering their house next door. She yawned and said, “Given that last night was a rough night, I think all we both need is sleep.”  
Lee nodded and kissed her forehead, “Feel better. I love you.”  
“I love you too, sweetheart.”


	6. Chapter 6

“MOMMY!”   
Rosemary darted her eyes open at the sound of her daughter’s cries. She groaned a little at being woken up along with the fact that her headache hadn’t gone away with sleep; actually it was getting worse, “I’m coming, sweetheart!” she called. Rosemary sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. She made a valiant effort to stop it, but she knew there was no use, “Oh no,” she said, swiftly grabbing the bucket under the bed. Thankfully, she obtained the pail just in time before she started vomiting. Lee promptly sat up and went to hold Rosie’s hair back, rubbing his other hand up and down her back encouragingly.   
“MOMMY!” they heard Lilly shout again.   
Rosemary wiped her mouth and handed the bucket to Lee, “I’ll be there in a second!” Rosemary stood and waivered, falling back into her place on the bed. She snatched the bucket back from Lee and proceeded to retch some more.   
Lee got up from his place on the bed and went down the hall. He knocked on the door and found Lilly shivering, “Daddy, where’s Mommy?”  
“I think Mommy might have the same thing you have, Little Flower,” said Lee.  
“Is she getting sick too?” asked Lilly worriedly.   
“Don’t worry sweetheart, Mommy will be just fine. What do you need?” asked Lee.   
“I’m cold,” Lilly moaned.  
“I’ll get you another blanket,” he said, obtaining one from the closet. He took Lilly’s temperature and she still had a fever, so he bundled her up and kissed her temple, “Feel better, sweetheart. Call me if you need anything else.”  
She nodded and rolled over to go back to sleep, “I love you, Daddy.”  
“I love you too,” he answered. He took the thermometer and went down the hall, where Rosemary was lying in bed, taking deep breaths, covering her eyes with her arm as even the light from the candles was causing her head to hurt, “Sweetheart,” said Lee, rubbing her shoulder to get her attention. She looked over at him and obliged as he put the thermometer in her mouth. After a minute, he looked at the thermometer and said, “Well, you’re not running a fever, so that must be a good sign.”  
“I just wish I understood why I feel so awful all of a sudden,” she muttered.   
Lee crawled in bed next to her and rubbed her back, “Sometimes the flu just comes on suddenly.”  
“Well, then you better run, or you’ll be next,” she smiled weakly.   
Le smirked a little and kissed her clammy forehead, “Lucky for both you and me, I’ve always had an immune system made of steel. Now try to get some sleep. I’ll make sure Lilly and Aaron are taken care of tomorrow.”  
Rosemary opened one eye and said, “But you have to work.”  
“Oh no missy,” he said, “You are staying in bed and getting rest tomorrow. I’ll tell Jesse to make sure things are running smoothly at the mill.”   
Rosemary huffed but then smiled in satisfaction, “This family is lucky to have you,” she squeezed his hand.   
******************************************************************************  
Elizabeth spent the school day doing some more fun activities, like having the class create Christmas ornaments for the town Christmas tree and making cards for their families. After the end of the day, Elizabeth was dismissing the students when Lee walked into the church, “Lee, so good to see you,” said Elizabeth.  
“Hi Elizabeth,” he acknowledged, “Do you have Lilly and Aaron’s lessons?”  
“We didn’t actually do many lessons, but I do have a list of new spelling words,” she handed Lee two sets of papers, “And we also made Christmas cards, so maybe it’ll give them both something fun to do,” she smiled.  
“Thank you,” nodded Lee and turned to leave.  
“Lee,” Elizabeth called. He stopped and turned around to face her, “May I ask, where’s Rosemary?”  
“She’s sick too,” he sighed, “Knocked out cold.”   
“Oh, that’s too bad,” empathized Elizabeth, “I could tell she wasn’t feeling well last night, but she was trying her hardest to push through it.”  
“Well, thanks again for everything,” he said.  
“Come get me or Jack if you need any help,” said Elizabeth, “I mean it.”   
“Thanks for the offer, but I think I’m good right now,” said Lee, “I have Jesse looking after things at the saw mill and they’ve all been sleeping most of the day.”   
“Alright,” said Elizabeth worriedly, “Well, I have to get home and start dinner. Come on William, let’s go pick up your sisters and go home.”  
Okay,” he said happily, “Bye Uncle Lee!” he waved happily.  
******************************************************************************  
Once Elizabeth and William had picked up the girls and arrived home, Elizabeth had her children go upstairs to play while she started dinner and waited for Jack to get home. He arrived a few minutes later and kissed Elizabeth on the cheek, “So how was school today?”   
Elizabeth turned to face her husband and kissed him, “We made cards and ornaments and are also learning a list of Christmas-themed spelling words. How was your day?”  
“Uneventful, which is how I like it,” he answered, “Dinner smells good.”  
“Well, it’ll be done in about 30 minutes,” she replied.  
“I’m going to go change and get the kids to wash their hands,” said Jack.  
“Probably a good idea given the situation next door,” sighed Elizabeth.  
“Lilly and Aaron still sick?” asked Jack.  
“And their mother,” said Elizabeth.  
“Oh boy, I hope Lee has a good immune system,” chuckled Jack, “I’ll be down in a minute, honey.”   
“Alright, darling,” said Elizabeth.  
******************************************************************************  
Over the next few days, the town continued their preparations as Christmas was now only a week away. The children’s performance was getting better and better each day and by the end of the week, Lilly and Aaron had recovered and were able to join their class again. Rosemary, however, was still as sick as a dog. Lee wanted nothing more than to stay home and take care of her, but Rosemary was stubborn and insisted he went to work after the kids were well, “You’ll just be sitting around watching me sleep. I can take care of myself,” she had told him.  
The Friday before Christmas, Elizabeth dismissed the children for Christmas break and was gathering her belongings when Lilly and Aaron approached her, “Aunt Elizabeth?”  
Elizabeth looked up at her Godchildren and smiled softly, “What is it guys?”  
“I think Mommy is dying,” said Lilly sadly.  
Elizabeth shot her head up and scowled, “Why on Earth would you think that?”  
“Because, she’s been getting sick all week,” said Aaron, “And she yells at us and Daddy for no reason.”  
“More so than she normally does,” elaborated Lilly.   
“Does she now?” asked Elizabeth, slightly amused.   
“It’s scary, Aunt Elizabeth,” said Lillian, “And anytime Daddy, Aaron, or I hug her, she winces and says…” Lilly glanced around, looking the same way Rosemary did when she performed the same action, “That her bosom area hurts.”   
“I see,” said Elizabeth, doing her best to hold in her amusement. Clearly, the Coulter children seemed to be more observant than their parents, “How long has your Mommy been acting like this?”  
“She only started tossing her cookies all the time earlier this week, but she’s been being mean to us and Daddy for a few weeks now,” said Aaron.  
“Well, tell you what?” asked Elizabeth squeezing their hands, “Why don’t you go to my house and play with William, Mary, Charlotte, and Uncle Jack while I talk to Mommy?”  
“Will Mommy be okay?” asked Lilly.  
“Your Mommy is fine, I promise you,” assured Elizabeth, “Now let’s go back to my house.”  
“Alright,” they both sighed. They gathered their books and started towards the café to pick up Mary and Charlotte.  
“Oh, Mommy’s also been eating some really weird things,” mentioned Aaron.  
Elizabeth smirked, “Like what?”  
“Last week, she ate carrot sticks dipped in chocolate ice cream,” said Lillian.  
William wrinkled his nose, “Gross!”   
“It was a good way to ruin chocolate ice cream,” said Aaron.  
“Boys,” Elizabeth scolded, “That’s enough,” the group arrived at the Thornton house. Elizabeth opened the door and found Jack at his desk. All five children went inside and Elizabeth said, “Honey?” he looked up at her, “Can you watch all the kids? I have to talk to Rosie.”  
“No problem, sweetheart,” smiled Jack, “Come on kids.”  
Elizabeth smiled and closed the door behind her. She made the short walk to Lee and Rosemary’s house and knocked on the front door. A few seconds later, Rosemary answered though she currently looked as though she was still feeling miserable, “Elizabeth, what are you doing here?” she asked.  
“Rosemary, we need to talk.”


	7. Chapter 7

“Talk? About what?” asked Rosemary.  
Elizabeth went to step inside before she stopped herself, “May I?”  
“Of course,” said Rosemary, moving aside to let Elizabeth into the living room, “Pardon the mess. With me and the kids being sick, I haven’t gotten around to much cleaning lately.”  
“That’s alright. You should have been in our house when all of the kids got the chicken pox. And on top of that, Jack had somehow never gotten them as a child. A whole week of keeping everyone from scratching itchy spots. Housework was an afterthought at best,” Elizabeth laughed at the memory.  
Rosemary chuckled and both women sat down on the sofa, “So, what did you want to see me about, Elizabeth?”  
Elizabeth took a deep breath, pondering on how to bring up the subject, “Lilly and Aaron are worried about you.”  
Rosemary furrowed her brow, “Why? I’m their mother; I’m supposed to worry about them, not the other way around. How did you acquire this knowledge?”  
“They approached me after school today,” explained Elizabeth, “They’ve noticed you’ve been feeling…off.”  
“It’s the same flu virus they had and they recovered just fine. A few more days of rest and I’m sure I’ll be good as new,” she said.  
“Really, Rosemary? Are you absolutely sure about that?” asked Elizabeth, raising her eyebrows.  
“100%,” responded Rosemary.  
“Because, that’s not what Lilly and Aaron told me,” said Elizabeth, crossing her arms over her chest.  
“They’re seven and five, Elizabeth,” reminded Rosemary.  
“But they’re still pretty observant. Trust me, being both a teacher and a mother, I know that children take in more about their surroundings and the people around them than adults realize.”  
“Please, quit rambling and get to your point, Elizabeth,” shouted Rosemary frustratingly.  
Elizabeth gave a small smile, the outburst the final confirmation for her, “Rosemary, remember a few days ago when we were talking about what we were getting the kids for Christmas?”  
“Yes,” she nodded in affirmation.  
“And what did you say Aaron wanted?”  
“Some new toy cars?”  
“No, the other thing.”  
“A little brother or sister,” responded Rosemary, and then her eyes widened, “NO! No way, Elizabeth!”  
“Rosemary…” started Elizabeth.  
“I told you, Lee and I were trying but it wasn’t happening. We gave up a long time ago. At this point, I really don’t want to be pregnant, it wouldn’t be convenient. Lee and I have just accepted the fact that we’re not meant to have more than two children…” prattled Rosemary.  
“ROSEMARY!” Elizabeth gained her friend’s attention. She squeezed the woman’s hands, “Rosemary,” she said more softly this time, “Just because you never thought it would happen, just because it’s more inconvenient now, doesn’t mean it’s not happening.”  
A few tears formed in Rosemary’s eyes as she let go of Elizabeth’s hands and sighed, her rational side suddenly wondering how she wasn’t aware of her symptoms. She scrubbed her face and said, “With the kids having the flu, I just thought I contracted the same thing. But I have been feeling off for the past few weeks.”  
Elizabeth rubbed Rosemary’s shoulder and said, “It could be something else, I don’t know. I’m just saying it might be a good idea to see Dr. Shepherd or Faith tomorrow.”  
Rosemary nodded, “Okay.”  
“Well, I have to go back home and start dinner. Try not to have any more carrots with chocolate ice cream,” she joked as she left.  
“How did you find out about that?” asked Rosemary, a little perturbed.  
“Lillian ratted you out,” said Elizabeth.  
“Oh,” Rosemary blushed, “I didn’t think anyone saw me.”  
“Hey, I’ve been there with the strange cravings. Before William was born, I couldn’t get enough of apples and anything with peanut butter, including vegetables,” said Elizabeth.  
Rosemary snickered and covered her mouth, “Well, I’ll make a visit to the infirmary tomorrow.”  
******************************************************************************  
The next morning, Rosemary started her morning the same way she had been for the past few weeks: grabbing the bucket as fast as she possibly could and spending a good minute and a half emptying the contents of her stomach. She went to wash out the bucket and then proceeded to get dressed, grimacing as she laced her corset since it wasn’t fitting her very well, _“Maybe I’m just gaining a little weight because of the holiday,”_ she thought to herself. She finished dressing herself and went downstairs where Lee was boiling a pot of coffee and scrambling some eggs. Rosemary did her best to force a smile and planned a way to get out of the house as quickly as possible so she wouldn’t start throwing up again.  
“Good morning, sweetheart,” said Lee and kissed her.  
“Morning Mommy!” Lilly said happily, hugging Rosemary.  
Rosemary winced at her daughter’s embrace but tried not to show it, ”Morning Lilly Bug,” she greeted before she quickly went to grab her coat and handbag.  
“Where are you going so early?” asked Lee, “And don’t you want breakfast?”  
Rosemary grimaced, “I’m not really hungry. And I have to run a few errands,” it wasn’t a complete lie. It was an important mission.  
“Can I go with you?” asked Aaron hopefully.  
“No sweetheart, Mommy has to do this errand herself. Besides, I have to stop at the mercantile and you hate going to the mercantile with me,” she explained. Also only half of the truth, but if she really _was_ pregnant, she would definitely need to stock up on peppermint tea, ginger candies, crackers, and a few other items to get her through the worst of the morning sickness. And if she wasn’t pregnant, she still needed wrapping paper for the Christmas presents, milk, and some more bread.  
Aaron wrinkled his nose, “Yeah, you’re right.”  
Lee kissed her temple and said, “Take it easy. I don’t think you’re fully over whatever you had and you still look a little pale,” he observed, rubbing her cheek.  
Rosemary nodded and hastily left the house, as the smell of the coffee and eggs were causing her belly to flip flop. Thankfully, the fresh air helped her stomach to settle down a little. She made her way over to the infirmary where Faith was sitting at the front desk. She glanced up when she heard the door open, “Rosemary, what brings you by today? And how are Lilly and Aaron?”  
“They’re both fine. Good as new,” she smiled happily. She looked around and then leaned in closer to Faith, “Mind if we talk about something? Woman to woman?”  
“Of course,” said Faith, putting down her pencil and leading Rosemary into one of the exam rooms. Faith gave Rosemary her full attention and asked, “So what’s up?”  
Rosemary rubbed her hands together and sighed, “Well, I’ve been feeling unwell for the past few weeks or so. With the kids having just gotten over the flu, I thought I had just caught it from them, but now that they’re better, there are some people…”  
“Lee?” questioned Faith.  
“Elizabeth,” answered Rosemary and Faith smiled and nodded, indicating to Rosemary to continue, “She thinks it’s something else.”  
Faith nodded her understanding, “Okay, well let me check a few vitals and ask you a few questions and we’ll figure out what’s going on, okay?”  
Rosemary agreed and Faith checked her temperature, blood pressure, heart, and lungs. She finally sat down in front of Rosemary and said, “I’m going to have you answer a few questions, though I think you and I both know why you’re here.”  
Rosemary smiled softly, “Okay.”  
“Have you been feeling extra tired lately?” asked Faith.  
“Yes, I thought at first it was because of everything with the Christmas committee but it’s been getting worse.”  
“How about dizziness?”  
“Every once in a while.”  
“Headaches?”  
“All the time recently?”  
“Nausea and vomiting?” continued Faith.  
Rosemary grimaced, “Yes, it started earlier this week and that’s why I thought it was the flu bug Lilly and Aaron had,” Rosemary thought about it some more and then realized she had actually been feeling a little queasy a week before Lilly and Aaron had gotten sick; the vomiting only started this week, “Actually, I think the nauseous feeling started last week. The vomiting started this week.”  
“And has your bosom area been more tender?” asked Faith quietly.  
Rosemary sighed, “Oh yes. Lee can’t even give me a strong embrace without me wanting to burst into tears.”  
Faith took a deep breath and Rosemary did too, as she knew the final question Faith was going to ask, “And what day was the start of your last cycle?”  
“Oh goodness,” Rosemary thought about it. It had been awhile, but she had just accounted it to the stress of the holiday plus the kids’ illness. Then she realized something. Her last one had been early November. The following week had been mid-semester break, so Lilly and Aaron had spent the week with Lee’s parents in Edmonton while Lee and Rosemary had taken a retreat to Quebec City. And a week without the kids had definitely helped them renew their commitment to each other. Maybe the change of pace had…, “I…I think it was early November," she whispered quietly.  
Faith beamed a little and then gently patted Rosemary’s shoulder, “Well, it looks like Santa might have given you a little Christmas surprise this year,” Rosemary tried to stop them, but couldn’t help the tears from spilling loose. She didn’t know whether to cry or laugh, so she did both, “Rosie, are you alright?”  
Rosemary nodded eagerly, “Yes, we’ve been trying for a year and a half,” she said quietly.  
“Well, I’m glad for you,” said Faith, “Given the start of your last cycle, I’m going to say you’re just a little over seven weeks currently. Now, I’m sure by now you know the drill of what you’ll experience over the next several weeks and months, but given the fact that this is your third pregnancy, it might not be much longer before it starts to show.”  
Rosemary nodded, though she groaned a little. That was always her least favorite aspect of pregnancy aside from childbirth. She gathered her bags and hugged Faith, “Thank you, Faith but…”  
“Everything’s confidential here,” assured Faith.  
“Right,” said Rosemary before she left to go to the mercantile. Thankfully, Florence nor Molly were there to begin the rumor mill as Rosemary filled her basket with peppermint tea, crackers, ginger candies, and more broth for bland soups. She obtained the other supplies she needed and paid before heading home, where Lilly and Aaron were playing out front with the Thornton children, “Hi Aunt Rosemary!” waved Charlotte.  
“Hi Charlotte,” said Rosemary, briefly embracing her before she went inside. Lee was nowhere to be found so she put the groceries away and took the wrapping paper and crackers upstairs. She found Lee in their room, working quietly at the desk, “Honey, it’s a Saturday. Why are you working?”  
“Just one new sale, nothing major,” he answered, “You took a while at the mercantile.”  
Rosemary put the wrapping paper in the closet with the kids’ gifts and placed the crackers on her nightstand, “Yeah, well, I had to go to one other place before I went to the mercantile.”  
“I figured,” replied Lee, “Where’d you go?”  
“I went to get Aaron something he’s been asking for this Christmas,” she said.  
Lee raised his eyebrows, but stayed focused on the work in front of him, “Sweetheart, doesn’t he have enough new cars?”  
“No, not that. Something else,” she stated, “Something we’ve also wanted too, honestly. Like a new little Coulter,” she specified casually, stopping her pacing to watch her husband’s reaction. A small smile formed on her lips.  
“Yes, I know he’s been begging for a little brother or sister, but…” Lee stopped what he was saying when Rosemary’s words sunk in and he whipped around to face his wife, “Wait a second? Did you just say ‘a new little Coulter’?” Rosemary didn’t say anything, but her sheer grin told him all he needed to know, “Oh Rosie!” he said happily, wrapping her in a loving embrace and kissing her passionately, “You’re....you’re pregnant?” he asked with a few tears in his eyes.  
She nodded softly, “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”  
“So your flu symptoms weren’t flu symptoms, they were…”  
“Uh huh,” she replied, biting her lower lip nervously.  
“Oh Rosie, this is wonderful!” grinned Lee, stroking her cheek.  
“Yeah,” she responded happily, though Lee could tell there was some tension in her body.  
“Tell me,” said Lee, squeezing her shoulders.  
Rosemary sighed, “Just that pregnancy and birth is always scary for me, that’s all,” she admitted, “It’s never an easy thing to go through.”  
Lee hugged her again and rubbed his hand up and down her back, “Well, that’s what I’m here for. To make sure you’re never afraid.”  
Rosemary took a deep breath, grateful to be in her husband’s embrace. Lee always made her and the kids feel so loved, and she knew it would be no different with this new little Christmas miracle.


	8. Chapter 8

The sun peeked through the window and Lee opened his eyes, smiling to himself as he remembered what Rosemary had told him yesterday. The smile was quickly replaced by concern when he heard his wife heaving next to him. Normally, he would be running around like a lost sheep but given the fact that this was their third go-round, he knew exactly what to do at this point. He sat up and held her hair back, “It’s okay sweetheart, you’re okay,” he said soothingly.  
Rosemary groaned and handed Lee the bucket. She covered her face, “I really hate this part.”  
Lee smiled slightly, “I know,” he kissed her forehead and handed her the crackers on the nightstand, “Why don’t you nibble a few of these before you attempt to get out of bed again.”  
Rosemary took them gratefully and smiled, “You’re so good to me.”  
Lee went to the bathroom and washed everything out before brushing his teeth and washing his face, “Daddy?”  
Lee turned and Aaron was standing in the door frame, “Yeah, Buddy?”  
“Is Mommy okay?” he asked worriedly.  
“Mommy is just fine, I promise you,” he assured him, “Now come brush your teeth and wash your face before Lilly and Mommy take over the bathroom,” he joked.  
“Daddy, it’s not our fault that it takes us girls a long time to get ready! Girls just have more to do to look good!” said Lillian emphatically. Lee couldn’t help but laugh at how often Lilly imitated Rosemary.  
Rosemary came up behind Lillian and smirked, “Yeah, you heard her, Daddy. It’s not our fault!” Lee rolled his eyes at his wife and then smiled. Aaron left the room to get dressed and Rosemary laid her hands on Lilly’s shoulders, “Sweetheart, why don’t you go get dressed for church and then I’ll put a ribbon in your hair.”  
Lilly nodded and ran to her room. Rosemary started brushing her teeth and washing her face when Lee laid a hand on the small of her back, “Rosie, are you sure you feel well enough to go to church?”  
Rosemary nodded, “I’ll get through it,” she smiled softly, “I really don’t want to start feeding the rumor mill this early on in the pregnancy. We have to at least wait until we tell the kids so they hear it from us and not someone else.” She wasn’t quite sure how they were going to react. Aaron would be excited for sure, though he would probably need some explanations since he had been just shy of turning two when Elizabeth had Mary and Charlotte. Lilly, on the other hand, had only been nineteen months old when Aaron was born. She didn’t really remember her life before he was born, but it had been just the four of them for so long. She didn’t honestly know how Lillian would react to the concept of another addition to the Coulter family, “But I might skip fellowship afterwards. Just the thought of all of that coffee and food is making my stomach churn. Why don’t you take the kids to Abigail’s while I come home and wrap presents?”  
Lee nodded. Both Rosemary and he had agreed to tell the children on Christmas morning after they had finished opening their presents. It would also give them time to ask any questions that they had. He kissed Rosemary’s temple and said, “I’ll send Lilly in.”  
Rosemary nodded and soon heard her daughter enter the bathroom, “Mommy, I’m never going to learn how to lace one of these things!”  
Rosemary chuckled and helped Lilly lace her corset, “You’ll learn Lilly Bug. It took me awhile to learn too.”  
Rosemary helped Lilly button the back of her dress and then began to put the ribbon in her hair, “Mommy, can I ask you a question?”  
Rosemary furrowed her brow, “Of course. Anything baby girl.”  
“How come when Aaron and I were sick, you made us stay home, but you don’t have to stay home even though you’re sick?” asked Lilly, crossing her arms over her chest.  
Rosemary chuckled, but then frowned a little. Maybe keeping her pregnancy a secret from the kids was going to be more of a challenge than she originally thought, even though Christmas was only four days away. She had Lilly turn around to face her and smiled, “Look Lilly Bug. Yesterday, I went to see Nurse Faith and I found out what’s making me sick isn’t what was making you and Aaron sick. It’s also something that nobody can catch unlike what you and Aaron had, so that means that I can go out despite my tummy sometimes being upset.”  
Lillian stared at Rosemary and blinked a few times before she asked, “So, you can’t make other people sick like Aaron and I could have?”  
“No,” Rosemary shook her head.  
“So, I can’t get sick from what you have?”  
Rosemary chuckled, “No, at least, not at this point in your life.”  
Rosemary bit her lip, fearing Lillian would ask why but then Lilly smiled and hugged Rosemary, “Okay. I love you, Mommy!”  
Rosemary smiled and embraced the young girl back; thankfully Lilly was only waist high when they were both standing, “I love you too, sweetheart. Now go downstairs and wait with your brother while Daddy and I get ready.”  
Lilly smiled and happily bounced down the stairs. Rosemary poked her head into the room where Lee was finishing buttoning his sweater vest and Rosemary hastily began to get dressed, whimpering as she laced her corset, “Sweetheart, if it doesn’t fit…”  
“I know, I know,” she said frustratingly. She finished getting dressed and then turned to face her husband.  
“Rosie, sweetheart, what’s wrong?” he asked, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.  
Rosemary sighed and wiped away a few tears. She hated dealing with the extra hormones during pregnancy, “Just nervous about how the kids will take the news about the baby. I mean, Aaron will probably be over the moon, but what’s Lilly going to think?”  
“She plays Mommy with her dolls all the time, Rosie,” reminded Lee.  
“And that’s with dolls that aren’t constantly crying or demanding Mommy’s attention. She was barely walking and talking when Aaron was born. She doesn’t remember being an only child but also doesn’t recall all of the attention babies need…”  
“Rosie, she’ll be fine,” said Lee. He kissed her and said, “Now let’s get going or we’re going to be late."  
******************************************************************************  
Once the family arrived at the church, Frank had just stepped up to the podium. The Coulters sat in the pew behind the Thorntons and Lee looked over at his wife and children. His heart leapt with satisfaction, but also curiosity as to whether it would be boys or girls ruling the Coulter house soon. He and Rosie would be thrilled either way.  
“Good morning everyone,” greeted Frank, “Just a reminder that our Christmas Eve service begins at 7:00 PM this Wednesday followed by our Christmas Pageant. And maybe a surprise visitor will make an appearance.” The adults chuckled; they all knew Shane Cantrell was set to dress up as Santa this year, “Let us pray. O creator God, Our world is pregnant with the anticipation of the birth of your Son. We are bursting in our preparedness, for the feast of Christmas will soon be here. Everything seems to be in order: the plans are agreed to, the tree is decorated, most of the gifts are wrapped, and we think we are ready. However, Lord, as we pause to offer this prayer, we realize that some things have been rushed, and, in the process, some important things have been forgotten. In this brief moment of quiet, help us to be at least thankful. Help us to appreciate the Word that comes to dwell with us. Help us to hope in the promise of His way, truth, and life. Help us to join with the angels who sing your praise. Grant us the lasting peace of this great season of joy. We pray in the name of our long-expected Lord. Amen.”  
“Amen,” the congregation responded. Rosemary smiled and casually rubbed her abdomen, thinking about both births she would be anticipating this season. After the service, the residents exited the church and began to make their way over to Abigail’s for fellowship, “Well, I’ll see you a little later,” said Lee, laying his hand on Rosemary’s shoulder, “Take it easy.”  
“I’ll be okay, Lee,” she smiled warmly.  
“Bye Mommy!” Aaron and Lilly hugged her.  
“Bye my babies,” she kissed them both.  
The three Coulters headed towards the café while Elizabeth approached Rosemary, “You’re not going over to Abigail’s?” asked Elizabeth curiously.  
“No, I have to wrap Lee and the kids’ presents,” said Rosemary.  
“Is that all?” asked Elizabeth knowingly.  
“And the coffee and food might give the baby a reason to make my stomach revolt,” answered Rosemary honestly.  
“Ah, Rosie,” said Elizabeth, hugging her excitedly, “I’m so happy for you!”  
“After a year and a half, we never thought it was going to happen,” Rosemary admitted, “But you were right. I guess God had other plans.”  
“Well, I’m thrilled for you, truly,” said Elizabeth, “Have you told Lee and the kids yet?”  
“Lee, yes. We’re both telling the kids on Christmas morning,” answered Rosemary, “Now, I’d appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone. Lee and I want to tell the kids before anyone else.”  
“My lips are sealed,” confirmed Elizabeth, pretending to zip her lips.  
“I mean it Elizabeth, not even Jack,” warned Rosemary jokingly.  
“Hey, you’re the one who’s been talking his ear off since you both were twelve, not me,” smirked Elizabeth.  
Rosemary narrowed her eyes at Elizabeth and pulled her closer, “Just a word of advice. I wouldn’t mess with a severely hormonal pregnant woman,” Elizabeth wasn’t quite sure if Rosemary was joking or being serious, but then sighed when Rosemary grinned. Rosemary yawned and said, “Well, I’ve got to get home and get something done since I’ll soon probably be out of commission for the next few weeks.”  
Elizabeth nodded sympathetically. Rosemary certainly loved her kids and was a good mother, but pretty much everyone in town knew being pregnant wasn’t exactly amongst Rosemary’s favorite experiences, “Well take it easy. Both you and the baby need it,” she laid her hand on Rosie’s shoulder.  
“Thanks,” Rosemary squeezed Elizabeth’s hand before she headed for home and Elizabeth towards the café. Rosemary couldn’t help but stop and observe the coach stop, letting her naturally curious personality take over for a moment. It seemed that Gowen and that mysterious man, Constable Stonewall, were getting on a coach. Rosemary didn’t know why, but she had a bad feeling about that man. She yawned again and decided to go home before she fell asleep in the middle of Main Street. She would worry about investigating about Harry Stonewall later.  
******************************************************************************  
Elizabeth arrived at the café and smiled when she saw her husband sitting with Lee. She sat down next to him and he kissed her on the cheek, “I saved you a cup of coffee.”  
“Thank you,” she nodded gratefully and took a sip.  
“So how’s Rosie doing?” asked Jack concerned.  
“She’s doing fine. She just wanted to go home because she doesn’t think she’s quite over whatever she had,” informed Elizabeth, telling only half of the truth. She glanced over at Lee, who gave a small nod of appreciation. He had the feeling that Elizabeth knew about the baby given the fact that he had seen her leaving their house on Friday and suddenly Rosemary was willing to visit a doctor the next day. He guessed it was just one of those woman’s intuition moments.  
Abigail and Frank approached the group after they had made their greeting rounds, “Good morning everyone,” smiled Frank.  
“Morning Pastor,” smiled Elizabeth.  
“Mrs. Abigail, Pastor Frank, are you going to watch the Nativity play on Christmas Eve?” asked Aaron excitedly.  
“We most certainly are, young man,” Abigail replied.  
“I’m going to be the best angel this town has ever seen!” said Lilly, happily clapping her hands together. All of the adults couldn’t help but laugh. Lillian Coulter was Rosemary’s mini-me through and through. So much that Jack figured as soon as Lilly hit her teenage years, he would be taken back to his childhood in Ottawa with Rosie vicariously through her daughter.  
“Oh Lee, could you let Rosemary know that our dress rehearsal is at 2:00 on Tuesday afternoon and warm-ups begin at 6:30 on Wednesday?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Of course,” he nodded in affirmation.  
“Thanks,” smiled Elizabeth. After another half-hour or so, everyone decided to head home, so Jack, Elizabeth, Lee, and the kids headed home together. Jack and Elizabeth took their children inside while Lee went into the house with Lilly and Aaron. They went inside and Rosemary wasn’t in sight, so Lee said, “Lilly, Aaron, why don’t you go play one of the games at the table while I go check on Mommy?”  
“Okay,” they said, grabbing one of the checker boards and setting up the pieces. Lee went upstairs and found his bedroom door closed. He knocked softly, though there was no response so he quietly opened the door to find a half-finished mug of tea on the desk along with some scissors and tape and scraps of wrapping paper on the floor. He glanced over to find Rosemary fast asleep, so he quietly picked up the wrapping paper scraps and threw them in the wastebasket. Rosemary stirred at the noise and slowly opened her eyes, “Rosie, sweetheart, go back to sleep,” Lee rubbed her back.  
Rosemary nodded and closed her eyes, but then darted them open when she realized the voice belonged to her husband, “LEE!” she sat up quickly and then looked around the room, “Oh dear. How long have I been asleep?”  
“It doesn’t matter, we just got back from Abigail’s,” said Lee soothingly, lying down next to her, “Are the presents wrapped or do you need me to help you?”  
“They’re wrapped,” whispered Rosemary tiredly, “They’re all in the closet,” she pointed, clearly fighting sleep, “I meant to do some dusting too but after I wrapped the gifts, I was so exhausted and also a little nauseous so I made some tea and then went to rest my eyes for a few minutes. Guess it’s been longer than a few minutes,” she explained embarrassingly.  
Lee kissed her temple, “That’s okay, sweetheart. I’m sure you need the rest. Why don’t you get some more sleep? I can entertain the kids and make dinner tonight.”  
Rosemary smirked, “You mean pick up dinner from Abigail’s?”  
“Rosie…” Lee warned jokingly, “I can cook.”  
“Leland Coulter, we’ve been married for eight years and I’ve seen you cook in three ways. They are scrambling eggs, frying chicken fried steak, and picking up dinner from Abigail’s,” she listed.  
“Okay, maybe that was my plan,” he admitted sheepishly, “What did you want?”  
“Chocolate cake,” she smiled hopefully. Lee raised his eyebrows, “And maybe some chicken soup so we don’t have to explain to the kids why Mommy can have chocolate cake for dinner and they can’t?”  
Lee chuckled, “That’s my girl,” he kissed her temple and went to leave the room, “Now get some sleep, Mrs. Coulter. I mean it.”  
Rosemary smiled and closed her eyes again, one of the few times she was more than happy to comply with Lee’s orders.  
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, Jack and Elizabeth tucked their children into bed before going downstairs into the living room to relax. Elizabeth glanced over at Jack and asked, “So, have you found out any more information on Constable Stonewall?”  
Jack shook his head, “All I know is that he served under Father for twenty years. He retired just a few years ago. He’s originally from Toronto evidently. I still have no idea who he was here to see.”  
“I think I might have an idea,” informed Elizabeth as she set down her book on the coffee table. Jack looked at her, indicating for her to continue, “Henry Gowen.”  
Jack raised his eyebrows in surprise, “Gowen? How do you know?”  
“Last Saturday at the café, when you and Lee left to go help Bill decorate, Rosemary, Abigail, and I were wondering about him. Well, when Gowen walked in, they clearly knew each other. I don’t know how, but they do. Doesn’t seem they’re on amicable terms though. I’m honestly surprised Rosemary hasn’t obtained his entire back story.”  
Jack chuckled and laid his hand on Elizabeth’s knee, “Well, I wouldn’t encourage Rosie to look too much into that right now. With the holiday, the kids, and the new baby on the way, I’m sure she’ll have her hands full.”  
Elizabeth went to say something until she realized what her husband said, “Wait a minute, I never told you…”  
“I know you didn’t, but the kids are no longer sick and she still is, she missed fellowship this morning, and in all of the years I’ve known her, the only times she hasn’t been bouncing around me like a three year old on a sugar rush has been when she’s been expecting,” said Jack, “Plus Lilly and Aaron told me the chocolate ice cream and carrots story on Friday while you were ‘talking to her’,” Jack emphasized in quotes while doing his best impression of Elizabeth.  
“Oh,” Elizabeth blushed, “I didn’t know you were that observant.”  
“It’s my job to be vigilant,” said Jack, “I promise, I won’t tell them that I know. I’ll act surprised when they tell everyone.”  
“Good,” Elizabeth said lightly.  
Jack kissed Elizabeth on the cheek and looked at the time, “Well, I’m going to go to bed. You coming soon too?”  
Elizabeth yawned, “Yeah, I have a meeting with Rosemary and Dottie tomorrow about last minute costume changes and props.”  
Jack grabbed Elizabeth’s hand to help her stand and kissed it, “After you, my sweet Elizabeth.”  
Elizabeth smiled at her husband and said, “You’re so good to me.”


	9. Chapter 9

Elizabeth arrived at the dress shop early the next morning, though Dottie was the only other person there, “Morning Dottie,” Elizabeth greeted cheerily.  
Dottie looked up and smiled at Elizabeth, “Morning Elizabeth.”  
“Am I early?” asked Elizabeth, looking around the room.  
“No, Rosie has just been showing up late recently,” said Dottie, a hint of annoyance in her voice, “Also hasn’t been her usual perky self.”  
Elizabeth nodded. She knew exactly the reason but she had sworn to keep Rosemary’s pregnancy a secret. Just then, the said woman walked into the room, “Okay, let’s get this over with,” said Rosemary grumpily. It took Elizabeth all she could not to bust out laughing. Rosemary’s hair was thrown up in a messy bun and her shirt was half-heartedly buttoned, just barely covering certain areas, “Morning Elizabeth, morning Dottie,” she said.  
“Are you alright dear?” asked Dottie in concern.  
“Yeah, I’m fine. Just with it being so close to Christmas, the kids are bouncing off the walls and there’s still a lot to do with the Christmas committee before Wednesday and Thursday,” said Rosemary. She smiled weakly at Elizabeth. Judging by the amount of ginger candies in Rosemary’s bag, Elizabeth had the feeling Rosemary was still dealing with the more than just excited children.  
“Oh, of course, I understand,” said Dottie, “The kids could barely sit still when I measured them for their costumes. They’re all so excited for Christmas,” Dottie stood and walked over to the rack of costumes, “Pretty much everything is done, but I need to make sure Opal’s costume and veil fit her,” said Dottie, pulling out the Mary costume. A few tears formed in Rosemary’s eyes and Dottie looked concerned, “Oh I’m so sorry Rosemary. I know how much you wanted Lilly to have the role.”  
“No, it’s not that,” assured Rosemary, wiping her eyes, “Opal will look beautiful as Mary. I heard her singing the other day. She has such an angelic voice. She deserved the role more, no matter how much I wanted my Lilly Bug to have it.”  
“Well, Opal’s mother is bringing her by this afternoon. But other than that, everything looks good, we have all of our props, and everything is ready for the dress rehearsal tomorrow afternoon. I will see you ladies then,” said Dottie.  
“Glad everything is going well,” said Elizabeth before she left the shop with Rosemary.  
“That was so embarrassing,” said Rosemary, hiding her face in her hands.  
“It’s alright, Rosemary,” said Elizabeth.  
“I just cried over costumes. At this rate, _I’ll_ be the one that let’s everyone in town know I’m pregnant before we tell the kids,” she said tearily.  
“Rosie, do you need someone to talk to?” asked Elizabeth.  
Rosemary took a deep breath and nodded, “Can we meet at your house though? I think Lee was planning on wrapping my presents from him and the kids before he left for work. I don’t know if he’s gone yet.”  
“Of course,” said Elizabeth. William, Mary, and Charlotte were on a play date with Cody and Becky and Jack had to make a short trip out of town, but he would be home by sundown. Elizabeth and Rosemary walked into the Thornton house and Rosemary popped another ginger candy into her mouth, “Um, I think the only tea I have is peach tea.”  
“Pretty much any type of tea will do the trick,” said Rosemary. Elizabeth went to start a pot as Rosemary began to pace the living room.  
“Rosemary,” said Elizabeth and Rosemary stopped her motion, “Please tell me what’s bothering you.”  
Rosemary sighed and began to break down in tears, “Just already tired of feeling nauseous from the time I wake up in the morning until I go to bed at night, I’m falling asleep by mid-afternoon, my head is constantly throbbing, certain body parts of mine feel like they’re being pounded with some sort of meat tenderizer, I can’t think straight because my mind is so foggy, my emotions are all over the place, I’m laughing one minute and crying the next…” she finally stopped rambling and just sobbed into her hands.  
“Rosemary, shush, it’s okay,” said Elizabeth embracing her, “It’s just your body adjusting to the hormones. Believe me I know.” Poor Jack had been a saint during both of her pregnancies. Her emotions had been like a roller coaster. Rosemary sniffed and embraced Elizabeth back. She took a deep breath as the kettle started to steam. Elizabeth poured two mugs and set them down at the dining room table. Both women sat down and Elizabeth asked, “Is that all?”  
Rosemary shook her head honestly, “No,” she answered quietly, “Guess just the fact that Lee and I wanted this baby so badly and now that it’s actually happening, it’s overwhelming. I mean, I’ve got being a mother to Lilly and Aaron down, but babies have never been my field of expertise. Lilly was our first, sure I make mistakes, but that’s to be expected. I found out I was pregnant with Aaron shortly after Lilly’s first birthday, so I hadn’t really forgotten about parenting infants. But now, there’s been so much time in between, I feel like I’ve forgotten everything. I’ll be like a new Mom and I’m afraid I‘ll mess up just because it’s been so long since Lilly and Aaron were babies.”  
“I understand,” empathized Elizabeth, “It was five years between William's birth and when Mary and Charlotte were born. I thought I was going to have forgotten everything, but it all came back to me so easily. It was like riding a bike or a horse.”  
Rosemary placed her hand on her abdomen and stroked it soothingly with her thumb. She smiled a little as she thought about her child developing inside of her. A few tears formed in her eyes and she smiled, “I also forgot how fast you can fall in love with someone you have yet to meet.”  
“Rosie,” said Elizabeth, grabbing Rosemary’s other hand, “You are a wonderful mother and both Lilly and Aaron adore you. This baby is extremely lucky to have you and Lee as his or her Mommy and Daddy. And Lilly’s already a terrific big sister and Aaron will be a great big brother. But, it’s also okay to be scared, no matter how many babies you have.”  
Rosemary took a nervous breath, “Well, you know as well as I do that childbirth is never easy to go through. I mean, Lee’s a pretty good coach, but still, you were there for both of my labors,” Elizabeth chuckled and nodded at the memory, though she knew that she had hurled some unloving phrases at Jack during her own deliveries, “Then, I’m nervous about the kids’ reactions…” another thought hit Rosemary, “Oh dear, another baby means we’re going to outgrow our house. He or she will probably sleep in our room for the first few months just like Lilly and Aaron did, but then there’s no way Lilly, Aaron, and the new baby can all share the same room,” she started to panic.  
“Rosie?” asked Elizabeth, “How far along are you?”  
“It’ll be eight weeks on Wednesday,” Rosemary responded.  
“Well, then we have seven more months to build a nice new house,” said Elizabeth calmly.  
Rosemary smiled. Elizabeth always seemed to know what to say, “You’re such a wonderful friend,” said Rosemary happily. Her smile wavered and she swallowed thickly, the color slowly draining from her face.  
“Rosemary…?” started Elizabeth.  
“Bucket. NOW!” Rosemary demanded.  
Elizabeth nodded and quickly grabbed one from under the sink. She handed it to Rosemary and then turned to try to give Rosemary at least some privacy, “Are you alright?” asked Elizabeth hesitantly.  
Rosemary groaned and nodded, “Yeah, just snuck up on me,” she said as she got up and washed out the bucket. She heaved a sigh and said, “I might go home and try to get some rest before Lilly and Aaron get back from Abigail’s.”  
Elizabeth nodded and embraced Rosemary, “Ask me if you need any help. I know how us women have to do all of the heavy lifting when it comes to childbearing.”  
******************************************************************************  
It had been a long ride for Gowen and Harry. The two cousins had barely spoken the entire journey from Alberta to Ontario. Gowen didn’t even know how to begin to explain the past thirty years to Harry; sure he had committed many wrongdoings in the past, but he was attempting to put his mistakes behind him, “So, how’s the rest of the family been?” asked Gowen.  
“Fine,” answered Harry stoically, “I mean most everyone is off doing their own thing. You know we even have some relatives who have moved to the United States for business endeavors,” Gowen nodded his understanding. Once the two gentlemen arrived at the coach stop, they both stepped off and Harry said, “Welcome back home to Toronto, Mr. Gowen.”  
Gowen looked around the area. A few things had changed in thirty years, but it looked pretty much the same. Yet somehow, as much as he loved the big city, he missed the coziness of Hope Valley.  
******************************************************************************  
Later that evening, Rosemary had napped long enough to have built up enough energy to pick up the kids from Abigail’s and make dinner for all three of them. Lee was going to be late at the mill since he had taken the morning off, so he had stopped by Abigail’s early to pick up dinner to take with him. After Rosemary had bathed the kids and helped them dress for bed, Aaron looked up at her and asked, “Mommy, can you read us a bedtime story?”  
“Of course, honey,” she smiled. She grabbed one of the books off of the shelf and looked around their room. Both beds seemed pretty small to fit all three of them, so she said, “Tell you what? Since Daddy is working late, how about we go to our room and I’ll read to you there.”  
“Okay,” they both nodded and ran to their parents’ room. Rosemary lied down in between them and Lilly and Aaron laid their heads against her chest, their arms wrapped around her waist, and their hands on her abdomen, unknowingly over their new sibling.  
Several minutes later, Lee walked through the front door and shouted, “Honey, I’m home!” He looked around and didn’t hear a response, but instead, heard his wife’s voice coming from upstairs. He hung up his coat and quietly went to his and Rosie’s room to find her reading to their children. He smiled but stayed silent as he crawled into bed next to Aaron and laid a hand on his son’s shoulder. He watched proudly as his wife continued to read to all three of their children, both in and out of the womb, grateful to have such a wonderful family with whom to spend Christmas.


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning, Gowen made sure to visit with the lawyers to discuss what had been left to him in his aunt’s will. After they were done, the two cousins noticed there was a light dusting of snow covering the ground. Gowen glanced over at Harry and said, “Well, I guess I should start heading out to Hope Valley if I want to make it home in time for Christmas. Thank you for escorting me out here.”  
“Mountie’s Honor,” nodded Harry.   
Gowen headed over to the coach stop and asked the driver, “When is the next carriage headed to Hope Valley?”  
“Hope Valley?” questioned the driver.  
“Hope Valley? Alberta? About an hour north of Calgary?” clarified Gowen.   
“Oh, there aren’t any coaches going that far west. The furthest any of them are going are Winnipeg. Rumor has it there’s a nasty storm coming and Alberta and British Columbia are supposed to be hit the hardest,” explained the driver.  
Gowen raised his eyebrows, “So, there’s no way to get back to Alberta in time for Christmas?”  
“Unless you take the train, then no,” said the driver.  
Gowen nodded, “Thank you. Have a Merry Christmas, sir.”  
Gowen walked back over to Harry and Harry asked, “What’s wrong Henry?”  
“There’s a snow storm headed towards Alberta and British Columbia. There are no coaches going further than Winnipeg. I’m trapped here because I didn’t think I’d need money for a train ticket,” explained Gowen, “Guess I’ll have to go looking for a place to stay.”  
“Nonsense,” said Harry sternly, “You’ll stay with me.”  
Gowen looked shocked. Harry and he hadn’t been on the best of terms in years, “Are you sure?”  
“I have a guest room,” said Harry, “And I know we’ve had our differences, but you’re still family. So, I guess we’re spending Christmas together.”  
Gowen nodded and followed Harry, hoping and praying his fellow Hope Valley residents knew about the storm. He had to get in contact with someone back home.  
******************************************************************************  
Meanwhile, back in Hope Valley, the snow was substantial enough to put a fairly heavy blanket on the ground currently. Elizabeth was making sure everything was set for the dress rehearsal that afternoon while keeping track of five children: her own three children plus Lilly and Aaron. Rosemary had an appointment with Carson and Faith at the infirmary and Lee had wanted to go with her, so Elizabeth offered to watch her Godchildren,  
“Aunt Elizabeth, where did Mommy and Daddy go without us?” asked Lilly angrily. The young girl hated being left behind.  
“They went to someplace that has to do with one of your Christmas presents,” informed Elizabeth. Only the half-truth, but it got Lilly excited enough that she ran towards the door to see if she could find anything. Elizabeth glanced up and scowled, “Lillian Naomi, get back here,” she scolded half-jokingly, half-seriously. Lilly pouted and stomped back over to the table where the coloring supplies were, “Lilly, they want it to be a surprise,” informed Elizabeth gently, “You can’t always go looking for your Christmas presents from Santa.”  
“Why not? Mommy does it. Daddy says she goes looking for her presents from Santa every year,” said Lillian.  
Elizabeth chuckled, “Well, Mommy shouldn’t do it either.”  
Elizabeth heard William and Aaron come down the stairs and William shouted, “Mommy it’s snowing! Can we go play outside?”  
“Yeah, can we, Aunt Elizabeth?” pleaded Aaron.  
“I don’t see why not,” said Elizabeth, “Honey, I’m taking the kids outside to play in the snow,” she called up to her husband.  
Everyone heard Jack excitedly coming down the stairs, “Can I go too?” he asked. Elizabeth couldn’t help but laugh at how adorable he was being right now.  
“Can we build a snowman, Daddy?” asked Mary.  
“And make snow angels?” chimed in Charlotte.  
“Of course we can girls,” answered Jack as he and Elizabeth helped bundle everyone up before they put on their winter apparel to go play outside.   
******************************************************************************  
Carson finished checking Rosemary’s blood pressure, “119/78 which is good,” informed Carson, “Your heart and lungs sounded good as well. If you could lean back for me,” he instructed. Lee helped Rosemary lean back on the exam table and Carson listened to Rosemary’s abdominal sounds, “Also sounds good, but it’s too early to hear fetal heart tones with the stethoscope.” Lee helped Rosemary sit up again and Carson asked, “Have you been keeping food and liquids down?”  
Rosemary nodded, “Uh, bland soups, water, crackers, apples, and melons. Other things cause me to instantly be hugging the buckets.”  
“Does the nausea last all day?”  
Rosemary nodded again, “Yes, but it peaks in the morning and then right around mid-afternoon before dinner it seems. My stomach normally settles some around bedtime.”  
“Well as long as you’re keeping some food down, you and your baby are fine. You’re not showing any signs of dehydration and don’t have excessive weight loss,” said Carson, “How’s the fatigue?”  
“Pretty bad,” sighed Rosemary, “If I want to be able to function in the evenings, I usually need at least one nap.”  
“Perfectly normal at this stage of the pregnancy,” assured Carson, “Any other concerns?”  
“Is there any way to relieve the constant headaches?” asked Rosemary. Lee rubbed her back soothingly.  
“Yes. Applying lavender or peppermint oil to the temples sometimes does the trick. Also cold compresses, drinking plenty of water, getting adequate sleep, avoiding certain smells and foods, and drinking ginger tea can help. It may help with both the headaches and the morning sickness,” Rosemary nodded her understanding, “Now if I recall, I believe Faith wanted to talk to you about a few things.”  
Rosemary furrowed her brow but nodded, “Alright.”  
Faith smiled and entered the room, “Lee, could you leave us both alone for a few minutes? It’s something I have to discuss with Rosemary about labor pain management and one other thing.”  
Lee nodded, “Of course. Anything to help le père with la mère when the time comes,” he said, pointing to himself and Rosemary.   
He left the room and Rosemary rolled her eyes, “He thinks he’s being cute when he attempts to speak French to me, but most of the time it’s just annoying and he usually mistranslates in the process,” said Rosemary, “He’s lucky I love him. Now did you really want to talk to me about the birth? I am only eight weeks.”  
“Yes and no,” said Faith, “I wanted to actually talk to you about something else but I was doing some research the other day about pain management in labor and I didn’t know if you’d be interested in hearing me out,” Rosemary agreed and Faith continued, “I know you’ve used chloroform in the past with both of your births but there’s a new safer option to help with the pain of contractions: nitrous oxide,” Rosemary gave Faith a bemused look, “Also known as gas and air.”  
“That I’ve heard of,” affirmed Rosemary.   
“I know the birth is a ways off, but I was wondering if you would want to give that a try when the time comes. It has fewer risks than chloroform for you and your baby,” explained Faith, “I just want you both to be as safe as possible.”  
“Hey, I’m willing to try anything that decreases the agony coming my way,” said Rosemary.  
“Good,” said Faith. She took a deep breath, “I also wanted to talk to you about Philip’s Christmas present. Or one of them anyways.”  
“Go on,” encouraged Rosemary.  
“Well, Shane and I decided it would be best at this point if I officially adopted Philip. We’ve been married over a year and he accepts me as his mother, but making it official, that’s a whole different ballpark,” said Faith, “I don’t know, I guess it’s a little scary officially becoming a mother. And I know you’ve told me, you aren’t really a natural mother and had a difficult time adjusting to being a mother. Any advice?”  
“You’re asking me for advice on being a mother?” asked Rosemary surprisingly.  
Faith nodded, “Rosemary, your kids admire you dearly and you love them so much.”   
Rosemary sighed, “Well, you are right, I’m not really a natural mother, but I guess I can tell you this. Your child is always going to motivate you to become a better version of yourself, even more so than your husband does, and that’s saying a lot. You’ll make mistakes, you’ll mess up a lot, but in the end, it’s all worth it and it’ll be the most rewarding job you’ll ever have, because no one on the face of this Earth will love you more than your child and there’s nobody on this Earth you’ll love more than your children.”   
Faith smiled and nodded, “Thanks Mary Rose.”  
Rosemary chuckled, “No problem.”   
******************************************************************************  
After the appointment, Lee and Rosemary made their way back to their house where everyone was playing out front, “Mommy, Daddy!” shouted Aaron and Lilly excitedly.  
“Hey Buddy! Hey Princess!” smiled Lee, kissing them both.  
“Daddy, we’re making snowmen,” said Aaron excitedly.  
“Want to help?” asked Lilly.  
“Well that sounds like fun,” said Lee joining his children, the Thornton children, and Jack.   
Rosemary walked over to Elizabeth and Elizabeth whispered softly, “How did everything go? How’s the baby?”  
“Everything went well. The baby’s fine. I’m fine, thanks for asking,” said Rosemary sarcastically, “They just want to monitor me more closely since Lee and I are both in our mid-thirties and since we had a little more trouble conceiving this one.”   
Rosemary yawned loudly and Elizabeth touched her shoulder, “Will you be okay for the dress rehearsal later? I can always get Florence to do the music.”  
“No it’s fine,” said Rosemary, “Though I might go inside and rest my eyes so I don’t fall asleep this afternoon.”  
“Well, if you ever need anything, you know I’m here,” comforted Elizabeth.   
Rosemary nodded and went back inside. She went upstairs to her room. She went to lie down on the bed, but stopped herself and decided to look in the mirror instead. There wasn’t a noticeable swell yet but she definitely did have her pregnancy bosom at this point. She ran a hand over her firmer but still flat midsection and smiled, “You know little one? No matter what Daddy and your big brother and sister got me as a Christmas present this year, my favorite present this year is you.”   
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after a very successful dress rehearsal, Abigail put Cody and Becky to bed before joining her husband for the night. He was at the desk working on his Christmas Eve sermon when she came down the steps, “How are the kids?”  
“They’re both out like lights, though I’m surprised we have any cookies left for Santa and the party. Cody has been requesting one every night,” she chuckled.  
Frank smiled and put down his pencil. He closed his Bible and got up from the desk, “Well, Mrs. Hogan, that just means you make good cookies,” he kissed her.   
“Frank, the whole town helped make the cookies…”  
“Under the guidance of the chief of the Christmas feast,” reminded Frank, stroking her cheek lovingly.  
The couple heard a telegram come into the machine and Abigail quickly went to obtain it. She read the message, “Oh my,” she gasped.  
“Who’s it from, Abigail?” he asked.  
“Henry Gowen,” she answered.  
Frank scowled, “Henry Gowen, what does he want?” he asked curiously.  
“He’s stuck in Toronto because of a blizzard. He won’t be home for Christmas,” she read.  
“Ah, that’s too bad,” sympathized Frank.  
“That’s not all,” informed Abigail and Frank nodded for her to continue, “It’s not a blizzard in Toronto. It’s a blizzard headed for Hope Valley.”


	11. Chapter 11

Christmas Eve finally arrived in Hope Valley. The snow was starting to get heavier but that wasn’t stopping anybody from preparing for the big Christmas celebration beginning with the Christmas Eve service and Christmas Pageant. Everyone was spending the morning decorating the church for later that evening, though there were a few individuals missing: Dottie was at the dress shop organizing costumes for later and Lee had just arrived without Rosemary, “Lee, thank goodness, Jack and I could use an extra set of hands with the garland,” said Elizabeth embracing him.  
“Go see Mrs. Abigail and Pastor Frank for what still needs done,” he said to Lilly and Aaron.  
“Where’s Rosie? Is she okay?” asked Elizabeth quietly.  
Lee nodded, “Yeah, but she was feeling pretty sick this morning, so I told her to stay home and rest. We’re telling the kids tomorrow so we should be okay.”  
“Of course,” Elizabeth nodded understandingly. Lee and Elizabeth walked over to where Jack and Bill were hanging garland, though it didn’t take long for Florence and Molly to notice Rosemary’s absence.  
“Lee, so glad you could stop by,” said Molly.  
“But we do have to wonder, where is Rosemary, is she still not feeling well?” asked Florence, a hint of fake sympathy in her voice.  
“Um, well…” stuttered Lee.  
“Dottie needed Rosie to help with the costumes,” interrupted Jack, “She told me to let everyone know that plans changed at the last minute.”  
“Oh,” the two women looked at each other, “Well that’s understandable.”  
They walked away and Lee nodded at Jack, “Thank you,” he said. He went to hang the garland, but quickly glanced back over towards the Thorntons, “Wait a minute? He knows doesn’t he?”  
“Yep,” answered Jack casually.  
Lee widened his eyes at Elizabeth and she hastily responded, “I swear I didn’t tell him.”  
“I figured it out on my own, Lee. I didn’t say anything for your privacy,” said Jack.  
“Thanks,” smiled Lee. After the church was successfully decorated, everyone went home to do their last minute preparations for their families. Elizabeth checked the master bedroom closet and counted to make sure everyone’s presents were still there. Jack always had the tendency to go looking for his before Christmas day. Thankfully, they were still there.  
“Too many years of being friends with Rosemary,” thought Elizabeth amusingly. Before Elizabeth knew it, it was quarter after six, so she gathered her things and made sure William was ready to go as well. She poked her head in the room and said to Jack, “Honey, I’m going to start heading over to the church for warm-ups. I trust I’ll see you and the girls?”  
“Of course, my sweet Elizabeth,” he kissed her. He hugged William and smiled proudly, “Break a leg, Buddy.”  
“But Daddy, I don’t want to break my leg,” said William  
“No, no, Buddy, it’s just an expression. ‘Break a leg’ means ‘Good luck’ in theatre language,” explained Jack.  
“Oh okay,” said William, happily running down the stairs.  
Elizabeth looked at Jack with her hands on her hips, “Where did you learn that?” Jack gave his wife a ‘who do you think’ look and she rolled her eyes, “Oh, of course.”  
Jack smirked and kissed Elizabeth, “I’ll see you soon, Elizabeth. I love you.”  
“I love you too,” she smiled and squeezed his hand. William and she made their way over to the church where Rosemary and Dottie were already helping the girls into their costumes while Lee and Bill were helping the boys. Elizabeth motioned William to go join Lee and Bill while she walked over to Rosemary and Dottie.  
“Elizabeth, this place looks gorgeous,” smiled Rosemary.  
“Well, that’s what Hope Valley does best,” said Elizabeth happily.  
Rosemary pulled Elizabeth aside and said, “I’m sorry I couldn’t help all of you. I woke up this morning and I was just…”  
Elizabeth held up her hand, “Don’t apologize, everyone will understand once you and Lee tell everyone.”  
Rosemary smiled, “We might make an announcement at the Christmas dinner tomorrow. I will one way or another,” she smirked, “Hopefully the non-disgusting way.”  
At that moment, Lillian ran over to Rosemary and Elizabeth in her angel costume and smiled happily, “Mommy, Aunt Elizabeth, don’t I look pretty?”  
Both women chuckled and Elizabeth could tell Rosemary was holding back tears. Rosemary crouched down to Lilly’s level and laid her hands on her shoulders, “You’re the prettiest angel in the whole world, Lilly Bug.”  
“What do you think, Aunt Elizabeth?” asked Lilly excitedly.  
“I agree with Mommy,” smiled Elizabeth, “Now, we have to start warming up your voices. Everyone will be arriving at the church soon.” Rosemary went over to the piano and Elizabeth gathered the children and they all did a few warm up exercises. At quarter of seven, most of the town including Abigail, Frank, Jack, and the twins were arriving for services. Elizabeth and Rosemary took their seats next to their husbands in their usual pews before Frank made his way to the podium.  
He cleared his throat and opened his Bible before he began to read the passage, “In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria). And everyone went to their own town to register. So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no guest room available for them. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.’’ When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let’s go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told,” he looked up at the congregation, “The Christmas season is a time of preparation in many ways. For the past few weeks, we all have been preparing to celebrate this wonderful feast. We’ve been decorating trees, homes, and businesses, rehearsing for plays, baking cookies, and finding the perfects gifts for our loved ones. We’ve all been so busy readying ourselves for December 25 that sometimes, we forget to stop and think about the real reason we’re celebrating. In the midst of all of the chaos, we overlook the coming of our Lord and Savior. I know I’m guilty of this too. I focus too much on helping to decorate the town or finding the perfect gifts for my family. But this Christmas, let us take a minute to stop and think, really think, about what Jesus’s coming means to us. So as we come together as a community, let us take a moment to remember the most important gift we will receive this season.”  
Frank sat down next to Abigail, Rosemary took her place at the piano, and Elizabeth lined up the children for the first song. The congregation sang O Come All Ye Faithful and then the children each said their portion of dialogue. The congregation sang What Child is This as William and Opal came over to the rest of the children, Opal holding a small doll representing baby Jesus. The pair preformed Silent Night as a duet and everyone sang Joy to the World before the performance ended. Elizabeth encouraged the children to take a bow and then gestured over to Rosemary who smiled softly and also took a bow. Usually, she would thrive on the attention but the mother in her wanted most of it to go to the children. She figured she’d be receiving plenty of attention in the very near future.  
Soon, the church door opened and Santa Claus arrived, much to the children’s delight, “HO, HO, HO!”  
“Hi Santa,” the children waved excitedly. Faith couldn’t help but smile at her husband dressed as Santa.  
“Alright everyone, I’ve heard that you all have been very good boys and girls this year, so let’s see what I have in my trusty sack,” he smiled under the white beard. The adults couldn’t help but laugh at the kids’ excitement and Lee and Rosemary smiled at each other, knowing very well that next Christmas, they would have another little one amongst the group. After Santa had distributed all of the toys and bid his farewell, Frank dismissed everyone and the town headed for home.  
The Thornton and Coulter children ran ahead of their parents, “Guys, don’t get too far ahead,” warned Lee. Once they arrived home, William, Mary, Charlotte, Lilly, and Aaron went inside to change into their pajamas and set out the milk and cookies for Santa.  
“Well, we better try to get the kids to sleep that way we can set everything out,” chuckled Elizabeth, “And all four of us know what a herculean task that is.”  
Lee, Jack, and Rosemary all nodded in amusement and they bid their farewells. Jack embraced Rosemary and said, “Try to get some sleep, Rosie. You know how the kids are going to be tomorrow and you and the baby need the rest.”  
Rosemary groaned, “Don’t remind me,” she went to go inside but sharply turned around to face Jack, “Wait a minute? How did you?”  
“He knows,” said Lee nonchalantly, “He figured it out last week.”  
Rosemary rolled her eyes jokingly at Jack, “Of course you did.” Jack had always been able to figure out what was wrong with her, even when they were kids. Sometimes he was worse than Lee at knowing her every thought, “Well, hopefully tomorrow will be one of my better days and the morning sickness won’t peak when it has been, i.e. when the kids will be waking us up and right before Christmas dinner.”  
Jack chuckled but quickly stopped when he received glares from both Elizabeth and Rosemary, “Well, I’m going to start getting the kids ready for bed. Have a good night,” he quickly disappeared into the house.  
“I’ll make sure the kids are changed for bed,” he kissed Rosemary on the cheek and went inside.  
Rosemary huddled under her coat and smiled at Elizabeth, “You know, I’m sure it was a mood swing now that I think about it, but you made the right decision casting Opal as Mary.”  
Elizabeth nodded gratefully, “Thank you, Rosemary, I really appreciate it. But, for her first audition, Lilly did a wonderful job. I think with a little more coaching, I see a Coulter in a Mary costume in a few Christmases.”  
Rosemary chuckled, “I’ll definitely have to fit it in around the new baby. Maybe you’ll have two Coulter girls in your class soon.”  
“Oh goodness, please no,” Elizabeth shook her head jokingly as Rosemary laughed hysterically. Elizabeth couldn’t imagine Lee’s life if he ended up having THREE Coulter women in the house, “Well, I better get inside and get the kids to bed. See you tomorrow.”  
“See you tomorrow,” smiled Rosemary as the two women went into their respective houses for the night.


	12. Chapter 12

Thornton House…  
Elizabeth stirred and rolled over to find her husband still sleeping. She smiled as she observed the wonderful man she had married. She was still in love with him even after nine years of marriage. Her smile faltered a little as she heard the pitter patter, or more accurately, what sounded like a heard of buffalo stampeding down the hall. Of course, a few moments later, they had three young children accompanying them in the bed, “MOMMY! DADDY! IT’S CHRISTMAS! CHRISTMAS IS HERE!”  
Jack groaned a little as he slowly woke himself up. Elizabeth chuckled a little; she knew very well that Jack was not a morning person unlike herself, “Merry Christmas, Daddy!’ said Charlotte happily, her sister and she kissing Jack’s cheeks over and over again.  
“Merry Christmas girls. Just give Daddy a moment to wake up,” he said.  
“Guys, why don’t you go downstairs and wait for us, but don’t open anything,” said Elizabeth sternly. The kids ran downstairs and Elizabeth kissed Jack, knowing they now had a race on their hands, “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”  
He smiled and kissed her back, “Merry Christmas, Mrs. Thornton.”  
“What do you say we go downstairs and watch our kids’ faces light up with joy?” smiled Elizabeth.  
Jack grinned, “I want to see my whole family’s faces light up with joy.” The couple put on their robes and slippers before going downstairs. Jack started a pot of coffee and Elizabeth poured some orange juice for the children, “Alright Kiddos, how about we see what Santa left for everyone last night?”  
“YEAH!” all the kids cheered excitedly. Jack and Elizabeth looked at each other and laughed. As much as they enjoyed the whole day as a family, nothing beat the thrill of watching their kids open presents. After William, Mary, and Charlotte had ripped open the plethora of toy cars, dolls, stuffed animals, dresses, and new clothes, it looked as if a tornado had ripped through the Thornton living room, but to Jack and Elizabeth, it was worth it. The children crawled under the tree and handed Elizabeth their presents from them, “Merry Christmas, Mommy,” smiled William happily.  
Elizabeth happily unwrapped the three wood hearts with theirs names etched on them and then hand painted, though William's was a little neater than Mary and Charlotte’s were, “Guys, these are beautiful,” said Elizabeth as she shed a few tears.  
“Daddy and Uncle Lee helped us make them!” said Mary.  
“Lilly and Aaron both made one too,” said Jack.  
“I figured,” said Elizabeth.  
Jack handed Elizabeth his present and smiled, “Open it, sweetheart.”  
Elizabeth couldn’t help but chuckle at her husband’s enthusiasm and she opened her gift. It was a gold bracelet with a heart-shaped pendent, “Jack, it’s gorgeous.”  
“Only the best for you,” he smiled and kissed her.  
“Ew!” all three kids shouted jokingly, covering their eyes.  
“Just for that, you have to watch us kiss again,” he smirked and kissed Elizabeth once again. He always made sure the world knew she was his girl.  
Elizabeth handed Jack his present and smiled, “Just for you, sweetheart.” He tore off the wrapping paper and smiled as he opened the box and found a new watch underneath, “That other one was on it’s last leg,” she laughed.  
“Yes, it was,” agreed Jack, “Thank you, sweetheart.” He hugged her.  
“Us too!” shouted the twins, squeezing in between their parents.  
“Of course girls,” said Jack, scooping them into his arms and onto his lap. William sat down next to Elizabeth, “Oh I almost forgot. I have one more present for Mommy.”  
Elizabeth scowled a little a Jack, “Honey….”  
“It’s very special,” assured Jack. He handed Elizabeth a piece of paper and asked, “Do you remember when I was looking at that land over on the edge of town?”  
“Yeah,” Elizabeth responded.  
“Well, half of that land is now officially ours,” smiled Jack.  
Elizabeth widened her eyes and read the information on the piece of paper, “Really?” she asked excitedly.  
Jack nodded, “With the kids getting a little bigger, I think this little row house is getting kind of small for us. I’ve bought the lumber from Lee and together, we can start building our dream house. There is one condition though.”  
“What’s that?” asked Elizabeth, raising her eyebrows.  
“The reason I now own only half of the land is Lee bought the other half from me. Told me he desperately needed a bigger house soon. He wouldn’t give the reason, but I think we both know the reason,” smiled Jack knowingly.  
“So they’re still going to be our neighbors?” asked Elizabeth gleefully. As much as it annoyed her to have Rosemary as her neighbor sometimes, deep down, Elizabeth wouldn’t want it any other way.  
“You bet on it,” affirmed Jack.  
“Oh honey!” shouted Elizabeth excitedly, throwing herself into his arms. He spun her around and he kissed her. They had been looking to move into a bigger house after the twins were born, but the plans never came to fruition. Until now. And knowing their best friends in the world would be moving in next door meant everything to her.  
“Merry Christmas, Elizabeth.”  
“Merry Christmas, Jack.”  
Coulter House…  
Lilly and Aaron flew out of their beds and tore down the hall at the crack of dawn. Lilly opened the door to their parents’ bedroom and the brother and sister jumped up onto the bed, “MOMMY! DADDY! WAKE UP! IT’S CHRISTMAS!” yelled Lilly enthusiastically.  
Lee and Rosemary groaned softly, Rosemary wincing from the noise as her head was aching slightly. They both had been fully prepared for this moment, but Christmas morning always seemed to come earlier than usual. The kids rocking the bed didn’t help Rosemary’s queasy stomach at this hour, “Honey, get them out of here,” she whispered urgently to her husband.  
Lee glanced over and noticed the color slowly draining from his wife’s face. His eyes widened and he promptly scooped both of the kids into his arms, “Tell you what Kiddos? Why don’t you go downstairs and wait for us?” They both nodded and ran downstairs, “Don’t touch anything until we get down there,” called Lee.  
He turned back to Rosemary who was struggling to get out of bed, “Whoa,” she quickly sat back down.  
“I’ve got you,” he held her steady. He squeezed her hand, “You okay?”  
“Yeah, just stood up too fast. Got a little dizzy,” she said softly.  
“Do you want me to start some tea?” he asked gently.  
She nodded, “Yes, thank you.”  
He went to leave the room but turned back, “Are you coming sweetheart?”  
“Yeah, I’m coming,” she answered. She stood but stopped suddenly, one hand holding her abdomen and the other flying to cover her mouth, “In a minute.”  
Lee sighed and went downstairs. He hated watching Rosemary going through all of this misery. He knew it ended with a beautiful baby, but still.  
He went to start a pot of tea for Rosemary and poured a glass of water for himself. He knew there was no way he’d be able to drink his usual morning coffee today, “Daddy, is Mommy coming down?” asked an agitated Lilly, pacing the room, arms folded across her chest.  
“She’ll be down in a minute, Princess,” he responded.  
“Is she still tossing her cookies every morning?” asked Aaron, a look of worry in his eyes.  
“I promise you’ll find out why in a few minutes, Buddy,” said Lee, patting Aaron on the shoulder.  
“Can we open presents now?” asked Lilly.  
“We have to wait for Mommy, sweetheart,” smiled Lee, “She’ll want to see you open your presents from Santa.”  
Rosemary came down five minutes later, though Lee was positive it had been the longest five minutes of Lilly and Aaron’s lives. They couldn’t have headed for the presents fast enough. Aaron was thrilled with his new cars and Lilly loved her new dolls. Lee and Rosemary looked at each other nervously and Rosemary obtained two more presents she had hidden in the living room, “Lilly Bug, Aaron, would you please sit down for me?” Lilly and Aaron sat down on the sofa and Rosemary sat down in between them. Lee sat down in the chair, “There is one more present Santa is going to give you this year, but it won’t be right now,” started Rosemary nervously.  
“Why not? Did I miss something?” asked Lilly, going to look under the tree they used to put presents underneath instead of for show.  
“Lillian Naomi, sit back down!” Rosemary scolded. The young girl sulked her way back to the sofa, and Rosemary felt a little bad for being so harsh on her daughter when she was about to drop a huge change on her, “The present is too big to fit under the tree. Well, right now, it’s actually so small we can’t see it. But once it arrives, it’ll be too big to fit under the tree,” she handed the boxes to Lilly and Aaron and they happily opened them.  
“World’s Greatest Big Sister,” Lilly read the shirt where Rosemary had stitched the letters on the front, “Ah, thank you Mommy! I love being the world’s greatest big sister to Aaron too!”  
Lee and Rosemary couldn’t help but laugh at Lilly, “Well, we don’t just mean Aaron, Princess,” said Lee.  
Aaron opened the box and asked, “Daddy, what’s it say?” Aaron’s reading skills weren’t quite as good as Lilly’s yet.  
“Well, Buddy,” Lee’s voice shook, “The shirt says ‘World’s Greatest Big Brother’.”  
“Big brother,” Aaron whispered to himself, “A big brother? Me?” he started grinning from ear to ear.  
“Lilly, Aaron, I’m going to have a baby,” smiled Rosemary softly.  
Lilly and Aaron looked at Rosemary in confusion before Aaron asked, “Like when Aunt Elizabeth had Mary and Charlotte in her tummy?” asked Aaron. Okay, maybe he did remember a little more than they both originally thought.  
Rosemary nodded. She took Lilly and Aaron’s hands and laid them on her belly, “Well, just like Aunt Elizabeth did, I have a baby in my tummy right now,” she smiled, thinking about the little munchkin inside of her.  
“Will your belly get really big?” asked Aaron, a broad smile forming on his face. Lee and Rosie could tell he was doing his best to contain his sheer delight.  
“Yes, Mommy will get a big belly,” she chuckled lightly. She wasn’t looking forward to it, but it would thrill the kids to see their sibling growing inside of her. Aaron started asking even more questions.  
“When will the baby be here, Mommy? Will it be a boy or a girl? And just _how_ are babies made?”  
Lee and Rosemary couldn’t help but laugh at his excitement. Rosie answered, “Around the end of July. We won’t know what the baby is until he or she is born.” Rosemary ignored Aaron’s last question but he didn’t seem to notice as he rubbed her abdomen. Rosemary turned to Lilly and rubbed her head, “Lilly Bug, do you have anything you want to ask?”  
Lilly looked up at her mother and the young girl had tears in her eyes. She didn’t say anything, but instead, grabbed all of her new dolls and angrily stormed up the stairs.  
Rosemary’s heart sank. She was afraid Lilly would react in this manner. Lee could see the tears forming in Rosemary’s eyes, so he motioned for Aaron to go upstairs, “Buddy, why don’t you go get ready for the dinner later today,” Aaron nodded, grabbed his new cars, and retreated up the stairs. Lee slowly got up from his place in the chair, sat down next to Rosemary, and cradled her as she leaned into his embrace, “It’s okay, sweetheart,” he soothed, rubbing her head and stroking his hand up and down her back.  
“No, it’s not,” she sobbed, “My worst fear was that one of them would hate us.”  
“Lilly doesn’t hate you. She just needs time to adjust,” said Lee, “We’ve been trying for well over a year, so we knew of the possibility. They had no idea.”  
“I know,” she whispered, “Just heartbreaking to see her so upset.”  
Lee kissed Rosemary’s forehead, “Why don’t you go get ready for the Christmas feast. I think I have an idea about how to make her feel better.”  
Rosemary nodded, trusting her husband, as he had always had a special connection with Lillian. She was just as much of a Daddy’s girl as Mary and Charlotte Thornton were. Rosemary wiped her eyes and smiled at him “Okay.”


	13. Chapter 13

Lee slowly ascended the stairs and found the door to the kids’ room closed. He knocked gently, “Princess?”  
“Go away!” she shouted from the other side.  
Lee sighed and opened the door anyways. He found a distraught Lilly cuddling one of the dolls she had had since _she_ was a baby. He sat down on Lilly’s bed and asked, “Little Flower, what’s the matter?” he wiped a tear from her cheek.  
“Is Mommy still mad at me?” asked Lilly.  
Lee raised his eyebrows, “Mad at you? Why would Mommy be mad at you?”  
“Because I didn’t get the part of Mary in the Christmas play,” Lilly cried.  
_“So THAT’S what this is about?”_ Lee thought to himself, “Lilly, sweetheart, Mommy’s not having another baby because she’s mad at you for not getting the part of Mary.” He tucked a lock of blond hair behind her ear.  
Lilly sniffed, “She’s not?”  
“No,” Lee couldn’t help but chuckle, “She knows you did your best with the audition. Mommy just…loves the theater as much as you do and loves the fact that you both love performing so she really wanted it for you. It was something special you both could share together, preparing for the Nativity play,” he said, “Actually, Little Flower, Mommy had the baby in her belly before you tried out for Mary.”  
“She did?” asked Lilly. Lee nodded, “Then _why_ is Mommy having another baby? Am I a bad daughter?”  
Lee sat Lillian in his lap, “Well, sweetheart, remember when Aunt Elizabeth had Mary and Charlotte, how happy her and Uncle Jack were?” Lilly nodded her understanding, “Well, Mommy and I went through that same happiness when both you and your brother were born. You were still really little when Mommy had Aaron so you probably don’t remember,” Lilly shook her head. It had always been her and Aaron as far as she remembered, “Well, Mommy and I decided we wanted to experience that same happiness one more time.” Lilly nodded, though Lee could tell she was still little upset at the concept of a new baby in the house, “And you know what, Princess?” she looked up into his eyes, “A new baby means a lot of planning that Mommy and I would like your help with before he or she gets here?”  
“Like what?” Lilly moped.  
“Like, we’ll have to pick out a name for the baby. And we’ll need to buy or sew new baby clothes. And the baby will need new toys. Plus, the baby will have a room that needs designed, so maybe you can help Mommy and I pick out a theme or colors for the walls of the nursery. And let me let you in on a little secret, Princess,” Lilly pretended to lean in closer to Lee, “With a new baby on the way, we’ll be building a bigger house on the edge of town. Uncle Jack, Aunt Elizabeth, and their kids will be building one right next to us. But since we need a bigger house, that means you’ll get your own room, Princess,” he whispered softly.  
Lilly’s face lit up, “I won’t have to share a room with Aaron anymore?”  
“Nope,” Lee shook his head, “And you can design it however you’d like.”  
“Can I make it hot purple and pink?!” asked Lilly, clapping her hands together the way Rosie did when she was excited.  
“Sure,” Lee laughed and placed her down on the floor, “I’ll even convince Mommy to let you paint it green with yellow polka dots and red stripes if you want.” He stood and grabbed her hand to lead her down the stairs.  
“Can I make sure Aaron stays out of it?” asked Lilly as they descended the stairs.  
“Um, we’ll see,” answered Lee.  
Once the father and daughter were in the living room, Lilly walked over to Rosemary and looked down sheepishly, “I’m sorry, Mommy. Daddy told me how happy you both are about the new baby.”  
Rosemary held out her arms for her daughter and Lilly hugged her mother. Rosemary kissed her temple and said, “That’s alright, Lilly Bug. It’s a big change for all of us.”  
“I’m sorry I made you cry,” said Lilly.  
Rosemary laughed lightly, “Believe me, honey. Mommy will cry for no reason a lot over the next several months. You’re not the reason I cried.”  
“You promise?” asked Lilly.  
“I promise,” smiled Rosemary and kissed her again, “I love you so much, sweetheart.”  
“I love you too, Mommy,” answered Lilly as she snuggled into Rosemary’s arms.  
“Now, go upstairs and start getting ready for dinner later,” Lilly disappeared and Rosemary took a deep breath.  
“Rosie, what’s wrong?” asked Lee.  
“Just a little nervous about dinner later. You know, with telling everyone else plus the morning sickness,” she answered honestly.  
“Well, we don’t have to stay the whole time. I’m sure everyone will understand,” said Lee, letting Rosemary lean against his chest.  
Rosemary closed her eyes for a few minutes before she asked, “So how did you make her accept the idea of a new brother or sister so quickly?”  
“Father daughter secrets,” Lee smirked and kissed his wife’s temple.  
Rosemary rubbed his leg affectionately, “Well, either way, this baby is lucky to have you as his or her Daddy. But promise me one thing, sweetheart.”  
“Of course, anything,” said Lee.  
Rosemary breathed out, “Just promise me you’ll be there for me. You know I’m a little nervous with babies,” she admitted truthfully.  
Lee laid his hand over Rosie’s stomach, stroking it with his thumb. Immeasurable excitement swelled up inside of him every time he thought about the newest little Coulter. He shifted on the couch and kissed her abdomen before he answered, “I promise.”  
Cantrell House…  
“Daddy?” asked Phillip, waking his sleeping father.  
Shane opened his eyes when he heard his son’s voice, “Hey Buddy,” he smiled and rubbed his head.  
“Can we go open presents now?” asked Phillip sweetly.  
“Yeah, yeah. Of course. Go downstairs, we’ll be down in a minute,” he told him. Phillip left the room and Shane tapped Faith on the shoulder, “Honey, wake up.”  
Faith fluttered her eyes open and rolled over to face her husband. She kissed him and said, “Merry Christmas, honey.”  
“Merry Christmas to you too,” he smiled. Shane never thought he would fall in love again after his wife passed away and then he met Faith Carter. The young nurse loved Phillip as if he was her own. Of course, the two of them talked about having children together in the future, but for now, they were taking their time adjusting to being a blended family of three, “So, are you ready to go tell Phillip the big news?”  
Faith chuckled nervously, “As ready as I’ll ever be,” she admitted honestly. They both descended the stairs and watched Phillip open his gifts. They both exchanged their presents for each other before Faith and Shane looked at one another.  
Shane took a deep breath, “Hey Phillip, could you come over here for a second. Faith and I have something we’d like to tell you.”  
Phillip came over and sat down in between the couple, “What is it?”  
Shane took a deep breath again to calm his nerves, “Well, you know Faith and I have been married for over a year now,” he began. Faith Carter became Faith Cantrell in August, 1918, “And Faith loves you very much, just as much as I do,” he explained and Phillip nodded his understanding, “Well, most of the time, women become mommies by having a baby, but sometimes, women can become mommies through something called adoption.”  
“What’s adoption?” asked Phillip.  
“Well, remember when Pastor Frank and Mrs. Abigail signed a few papers and promised to a judge that they would take care of Cody and Becky and love them as their own?” Phillip nodded again. Frank and Abigail had married in November, 1912 and had adopted Cody and Becky in May, 1914, just a few weeks before Rosemary gave birth to Aaron, “Faith would do the same thing. She would sign some paperwork and promise to a judge she would love you and raise you as her own along with me.”  
Phillip looked at Faith and asked, “So, you would become my Mommy?”  
“Yes,” Faith replied apprehensively. Faith and Shane looked at each other again. They had both discussed about how hard Phillip had taken the death of his mother.  
“So does that mean I should start calling you Mommy?” he asked.  
Faith sighed, “You can if you want to. But you don’t have to if it makes you feel uncomfortable.”  
Phillip hugged her and Shane, but didn’t say anything else, “Daddy, should I go get ready for dinner?”  
“Sure,” Shane answered. Phillip ran towards the stairs but turned back, “Mommy, Daddy, are you coming?”  
Both Shane and Faith breathed a sigh of relief and Faith replied, “We’re both coming.”


	14. Chapter 14

Hogan House/Abigail’s Café…  
Christmas morning began bright and early for the Hogan family, though since Becky and Cody were both a little older, Frank and Abigail didn’t have to deal with children waking them up early quite the same way other couples in town did. After they all had exchanged gifts: a new Bible case and some books about faith for Frank, a new dress and new pots and pans for Abigail, a science kit for Becky, and a new baseball bat and glove for Cody, the family began to prepare for the big Christmas feast. A little after eleven, Cat Montgomery and her children arrived to help with the preparations. Abigail put Cody, Gabe, and Miles in charge of setting the tables while Emily and Becky helped out their mothers in the kitchen. Right around noon, guests began to arrive, though dinner didn’t officially begin until 2:00 PM. The snow was picking up and there was a thick blanket on the ground, so those individuals who lived further from the café had made sure to leave their houses early to leave time to trek through the snow. Molly came into the café with Florence and commented, “The snow is really picking up out there.” She motioned for Rosaleen to go join the other children.  
“Well, that’ll be my next endeavor after today is creating a snow emergency plan,” admitted Abigail.  
“I know other people have been trying to slowly prepare, but with the holiday, we’ve all been so busy,” mentioned Florence.  
“And right after Christmas, we have the town New Year’s celebration and I know Rosemary dropped that suddenly,” said Molly.  
“Who’s in charge now?” asked Abigail.  
“I believe Dottie and Clara are splitting duties,” said Molly, “Rosemary said she needed to drop it for personal reasons.”  
“Hmm, wonder why?” Abigail questioned, furrowing her brow. The Coulters and the Thorntons entered a few moments later and Abigail smiled, “Speak of the devil,” she walked over to greet everyone.  
“Hi Abigail,” Elizabeth hugged her.  
“How bad is the snow?” asked Abigail in concern.  
“Pretty bad,” answered Elizabeth as the two women, their husbands, and their children changed out of their snow boots and into dress shoes.  
“I think it’ll be over my head soon,” admitted Charlotte.  
Abigail chuckled, “Well then it’s a good thing you can stay inside in a warm house,” she said, hugging her Goddaughter, “Well dinner will be ready shortly.”  
The group of four nodded while Lilly, Aaron, William, Mary, and Charlotte started playing with the other children. Lee excused himself to go talk to Frank and Jack was pulled away by Bill to talk about the incoming blizzard. Elizabeth turned to Rosemary and rubbed her shoulder gently, “You think you’ll be okay? I know how bad nausea can be early on in pregnancy.”  
“Well, we’re about to find out,” she chuckled nervously, “I did suck on several ginger candies and have some tea this morning. Plus I requested extra tea at dinner. I think if I eat slowly and small, I’ll be okay.”  
“Ladies,” said Jack, rejoining his wife along with Lee. The other residents came into the sitting area and the mothers ushered their kids over to them.  
“Well, Pastor Frank, are you going to lead us in prayer?” asked Cat.  
“Actually, Lee told me _he_ wanted to lead the prayer,” said Frank, pointing towards Lee.  
“Lee?” everyone else questioned in astonishment. Sure, Lee went to church and raised the kids with religion for Rosemary’s sake, but everyone knew Lee wasn’t that strong of a believer himself.  
Everyone bowed their heads, some folded their hands, others linked hands in prayer, Lee stood behind Rosemary and wrapped his arms around her and took her hands in his, both sets over their baby; Jack did the same to Elizabeth, “Okay, um, Dear God, we ask that You bless this food and the hands that prepared it. Watch over all of Hope Valley this Christmas and keep us safe in this snowstorm. We ask that You watch over Henry Gowen in Toronto since he can’t be with us this Christmas. Look after all of those who have nowhere to go this Christmas or in this blizzard,” he rambled a little, _“Okay, here we go,”_ he thought to himself as he squeezed Rosie’s hands and she squeezed them back, “And, uh, we ask that You watch over Rosie and I as we prepare for the arrival of our new little one this summer. We ask this through Your Son’s name. Amen,” he spit out quickly.  
“AMEN!” everyone stated.  
“Wait, what?” asked Abigail, bolting her head up in shock.  
“I’m sorry. Did he just say you’re pregnant?” asked Florence, a small smile on her face.  
Rosemary nodded and softly answered, “Yes,” as she prepared herself for the onslaught of congratulatory hugs.  
“Oh my goodness, Rosie,” said Dottie, “If I had known you’re expecting, I wouldn’t have been so harsh on you for being late or needing to miss time,” she apologized, “I understand why you dropped your responsibilities with the New Year’s celebration committee. You’ve probably been going through terrible morning sickness.”  
“Not to mention the exhaustion of early pregnancy,” said Molly.  
Rosemary glanced over at Lee and gave him a ‘save me’ look. Lee quickly stepped in and said, “Ladies, I believe dinner is being served.”  
The other women went to the dining area and Rosemary sighed in relief. She hated that now for the next seven months, everyone in town would treat her like some sort of fragile, China doll. Rosemary smiled at her husband and squeezed his hand, “Thank you.”  
“Try to get used to it. I won’t always be here to rescue you,” he admitted and Rosemary giggled.  
Abigail made sure all of the children were settled at their special table with kid-friendly fare before she patted Rosemary’s shoulder, “There are buckets under the sink if you need them,” she whispered softly so no one else would hear her.  
Rosemary nodded and squeezed Abigail’s hand, “Thanks Abigail, but I think I’ll be okay. And if not, the door’s right there,” she motioned with her head.  
“Okay,” Abigail said and went to sit down next to her husband.  
Everyone began to eat when Carson asked, “So…does anyone know how Gowen’s doing?” The subject of Henry Gowen was still a touchy one in Hope Valley, despite the fact that Gowen hadn’t done anything shady in several years.  
“Abigail and I have been communicating with him. He’s doing well in Toronto but with the storm hitting Alberta and British Columbia, he’ll be stuck out in Ontario for a while. Thankfully he can stay at his cousin’s home,” informed Frank.  
“Cousin?” everyone questioned.  
“Constable Harry Stonewall,” clarified Abigail.  
“Cousin,” everyone said to themselves. The town folk were wondering what connection Gowen had to that mysterious man.  
“Wait, is that the same Mountie that knew your father?” asked Lee to Jack. Rosemary had explained to him about the mystery man in the café, but neither one of them knew any other background very well. Jack’s father died when Jack was ten and Tom was eight, so Constable Thomas Thornton had been gone for two years by the time the LeVeauxs had moved to Ottawa from Montreal. Rosemary only knew Jack’s father via his stories and memories.  
“Yeah, that’s the one,” affirmed Jack.  
“Mrs. Coulter?” asked Opal from the kids’ table.  
“What is it, Opal?” asked Rosemary, taking a sip of ginger tea.  
“Is the baby a boy or a girl?” she asked sweetly.  
“Mommy says we won’t know until she has the baby,” pouted Lilly.  
“I hope it’s a boy,” said William.  
“Nah, I think it’s a girl,” said Rosaleen.  
“I want a sister,” said Lilly, “How about you Aaron?” Lilly turned to her brother.  
Aaron shrugged, “I’ll be happy either way.”  
The adults chuckled at the children’s conversation. Aaron Coulter was so laid back just like Lee, “So how far along are you?” asked Abigail to Rosemary.  
“Eight weeks as of yesterday,” Rosemary said happily, “Baby’s due anywhere between end of July and early August. We’re both really excited,” she smiled at Lee, grabbing his hand.  
“How did the kids take it?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Aaron’s excited, we had a little bit of a meltdown with Lilly this morning and it might take her a little longer to accept it, but I think she’ll come around,” responded Rosemary. After everyone finished eating, the children went outside to play in the quickly accumulating snow while the adults went to clean the dirty dishes.  
“Oh Rosemary, go have a seat. We’ve got this,” said Cat.  
“Are…are you sure?” asked Rosemary.  
“You and the baby need the rest. Now go,” said Florence, pointing to the sitting area.  
Rosemary pretended to sulk, but inside was secretly beaming. If there was an upside to being pregnant, it was definitely the fact that people volunteered to cook, clean, wash dishes, and do laundry for her, minus the little bundle of joy, of course. Though Rosemary was a very talented actress, both Jack and Lee knew that she was enjoying the pampering through and through in this case. Once the dishes were done, Frank, Abigail, and Elizabeth joined Rosemary, Jack, and Lee. Abigail patted Rosemary’s knee and asked, “So now that you’re not surrounded by a bunch of people, how have you been feeling?”  
Rosemary groaned. She knew she could let her guard down around Abigail, Elizabeth, and Jack in addition to Lee, “Awful. The nausea just lingers all day, I feel like I’m constantly sleep-walking, I spend half the day using the ladies’ room, and…” Rosemary glanced around and leaned closer to Abigail, “You know that baby making causes certain lady parts to get really tender.”  
“I know it’s tough, but you know as well as I do it’s all worth it in the end,” assured Abigail.  
“Yeah, I know,” admitted Rosemary, “Just getting to that point is very stressful and difficult.”  
Jesse Flynn came into the room and cleared his throat to gain everyone’s attention, “If I could have everyone’s attention please?” he took a nervous breath, “Clara, would you please come over here?”  
Clara looked at him in confusion, but complied, “Jesse, we already exchanged gifts this morning.”  
“I know, but there’s one gift I haven’t given you yet, and I thought it would be appropriate to give it to you under the mistletoe,” Jesse pointed above him, “Clara, I know you’ve always said you wanted to take our relationship slowly. But getting to know you over these past five years makes me even more confident in what I’m about to ask you,” Jesse pulled a box out of his pocket and got down on one knee. Clara began to cry as Jesse opened to box to expose a small diamond ring, “Clara Marie Stanton, will you marry me?”  
Clara covered her mouth but nodded vigorously, “Yes,” she finally responded.  
Jesse smiled widely as he stood and slid the ring onto her finger. The couple kissed under the mistletoe to the cheers and applause of their many friends. The men went to congratulate Jesse while all of the women went to admire Clara’s engagement ring.  
“Wow, a wedding and a baby all in the upcoming year,” said Frank, “What a year it’s going to be. Hope Valley will be filled with lots of excitement.”  
Everyone glanced over at Rosemary. She yawned and said, “I’m sorry. I’m too tired to be excited right now. Someone else will have to be excited for me.”  
Everyone laughed at the joke, though Rosemary was being half serious. Lee rubbed her shoulder and asked, “Do you want to get the kids and start heading home?”  
Rosemary nodded, “Yeah, the lingering odor from dinner is making me a little queasy.”  
Lee nodded and stepped outside, “Lilly! Aaron!” he called, “Come say goodbye to everyone. We’re heading home so Mommy can rest!”  
“Ah, five more minutes, Daddy!” they both pleaded. Lee raised his eyebrows and they hung their heads in defeat, “Alright.” They both came inside and said farewell to everyone and Lee and Rosemary received another round of congratulations.  
Abigail embraced Rosemary and said, “Rosie, if you need me to make anything you can stomach or do anything so you can nap, I will.”  
“I know. Thank you Abigail. I can count on both of you,” she turned to Elizabeth, “Elizabeth is always more than willing to kidnap Lilly and Aaron from me for a day.”  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” questioned Elizabeth in amusement.  
“Just saying, you’d adopt every child in this town if you could, Elizabeth,” said Rosemary, grabbing Lilly and Aaron by the hands and leading them home.  
“Merry Christmas everyone!” waved Lee, along with his family.  
“MERRY CHRISTMAS!” everyone else shouted.  
Mary and Charlotte ran up onto the porch, “Oh no,” Elizabeth chuckled. She knew they were going to shout their favorite line from their favorite Christmas story.  
“MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone want to guess the gender of Lee and Rosie's new baby? Also, the next chapter will focus on Gowen and Harry in Toronto. Please review!


	15. Chapter 15

After the Christmas feast, all of the Hope Valley residents enjoyed fairy peaceful evenings, minus poor Rosemary who spent most of hers regurgitating everything she had eaten at Christmas dinner, no thanks to her constant morning sickness. Meanwhile, back at the café, Abigail was attempting to compose a telegram to Gowen asking how he was doing and how his Christmas went since he couldn’t spend it in Hope Valley. Frank couldn’t help but feel a deep sense of admiration and pride for his wife. Despite all of the hardship and tragedy Henry Gowen had caused her in recent years, she had still found the power in her to forgive him for his past transgressions, if only in a platonic and Christian way. He came up behind her and started massaging her shoulders gently, “Honey, you’ve been on your feet nearly all day. Why don’t you go and rest some before bed?”  
Abigail turned around and looked at her husband skeptically, “Frank, that’s very sweet, but you know I still have work to do. A mayor’s work is never done.”  
“Maybe not,” he said and leaned down closer to her, “But mayors do get to take breaks and call it a night,” he whispered in her ear.  
Abigail squeezed the hand on her shoulder, “Tell, you what? I’ll finish this telegram to Gowen, I’ll start a basic emergency plan for the incoming blizzard, and then I’ll be up. Alright?”  
Frank sighed a little, but nodded. His wife was certainly devoted to everyone and everything in Hope Valley, “Alright, I’ll see you soon,” he kissed her, “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” she smiled as Frank headed upstairs for the night.  
Toronto…  
Gowen woke up fairly early on Christmas morning. He checked the time and noticed it was nearing eight, so he got up out of bed and began to get ready for the day. He couldn’t find Harry upstairs, but then heard his cousin in the kitchen. He finished tying his tie and buttoning his sweater vest before he headed downstairs to the living area. He found Harry in the kitchen cooking breakfast, “Morning Harry. Merry Christmas,” said Gowen.  
Harry turned to face Gowen, “Merry Christmas,” he answered back, giving a soft smile. He placed some food down on the dining room table, “I remember French toast and sausage was always your favorite breakfast when we were kids.”  
Gowen couldn’t help but smile a little, but was a little surprised. He was shocked that Harry even remembered that fact. The two of them sat down together and Harry poured them each some coffee before he asked, “How’s the situation back in Hope Valley?”  
Gowen sighed, “Abigail says the snow is getting worse and they don’t know how much longer it’s supposed to last. But other than that, she says everyone is safe and doing well.”  
“Well, that’s good,” nodded Harry.  
The two men ate in silence for several minutes before Gowen asked, “Do they still have the Christmas day parade downtown?”  
Harry looked up at Gowen and raised his eyebrows, “I believe so. I’ve seen it advertised in the paper. Why?”  
Gowen shrugged, “I don’t know. It would be worth watching. Give us something to do today.”  
“You’re telling me a former coal mine owner and former mayor wants to watch a Christmas parade?” asked Harry in astonishment.  
Gowen chuckled, “Just because I was once all of those things doesn’t mean I don’t like to have a little fun sometimes. Come on, it’ll be just like when Mother and Aunt Martha took us when we were kids.”  
Harry smiled fondly at the memories and nodded, “Alright. Why don’t we clean the dishes and then we can go find a spot.”  
After the two men had finished washing the dishes, they took Harry’s car to downtown Toronto where a significantly sized crowd had already formed for the parade. The cousins stayed silent as they found a spot to stand along the curb but neither one of them could help but feel like kids again once the actual procession had started. After the procession was over with the arrival of Santa Claus down Main Street, the crowds cleared out, but Gowen and Harry decided to stay behind for a while longer. They walked over to the pond where there were several individuals ice skating, “Remember when Mother and Aunt Martha used to bring us skating here when we were kids?” asked Gowen.  
Harry chuckled at the memory, “Well I skated. You spent most of the afternoon falling.”  
“I did not!” scolded Gowen lightly, “That was Joe you’re thinking of currently.”  
“You and Joe,” said Harry. They walked towards where Harry had parked his car, “I don’t know how much you cook, but usually I just go to this one small restaurant every Christmas if I’m here. They serve really good ham.”  
“I prefer turkey actually,” said Gowen.  
“They have that too,” said Harry, “So, are you interested?”  
“Sure,” nodded Gowen. Once they arrived, it was fairly crowded with couples and families gathering for Christmas, but they were seated at a small table in the corner. Harry ordered the ham and Gowen ordered the turkey while they both requested sides of stuffing and mashed potatoes. Once their food arrived, they began their meal, though Gowen couldn’t help but wonder how things were going back in Hope Valley, “Is something wrong, Henry?” asked Harry, taking a sip of his coffee.  
Gowen sighed, “Just worried about everyone back home. I mean, there’s the blizzard coming, our saw mill owner’s wife and kids hadn’t been feeling well recently, plus we only have Constable Thornton and Bill Avery for law enforcement. I know I’ve burned so many bridges, but it’s still my home and I can’t help but care about everyone back in Hope Valley.”  
Harry nodded. He didn’t quite understand how his cousin could feel so at home amongst people who despised his actions and general existence, but he said, “Well, maybe we can find a way for you to get back to Alberta in time for New Year’s at least,” Gowen nodded his appreciation, though his stone-cold appearance remained on his face. Once they had finished their meals, Harry drove them back to his house. He checked the telegram machine and handed the piece of paper to Gowen, “It’s for you. It’s from someone named Abigail Hogan.”  
Gowen took the telegram from Harry and Harry disappeared upstairs to give Gowen some privacy, _“Dear Henry, I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. We missed having you at the Christmas feast here in Hope Valley. Lee mentioned you in his prayer before the meal,”_ Gowen furrowed his brow a little in confusion. Lee wasn’t all that religious. There must’ve been a good reason he was leading the before meal prayer, _“I hope you are doing well. Give Constable Stonewall all my best. You’ll be in my prayers and Frank’s as well. Merry Christmas, Henry. - Abigail.”_  
Hope Valley…  
Elizabeth had just gotten the kids to sleep and was spending some quiet time with her husband in their room, though Elizabeth was spending most of it gazing out the bedroom window, “The snow is really picking up out there.”  
Jack glanced up from the book he was reading, “Yeah,” he sighed nervously, “Bill, Abigail, and I all have a meeting tomorrow to start discussing preparations and emergency plans.”  
Elizabeth crawled into bed next to Jack and kissed his cheek. She snuggled against his chest, “What would this town do without you? What you I do without you? And what’s going to happen over the next several days?”  
Jack put his book on the nightstand and rubbed Elizabeth’s hand, “Well, we’ll find out the same way we always do. Together,” he kissed her, “Merry Christmas, sweetheart.”  
“Merry Christmas, my handsome Mountie.”  
******************************************************************************  
Rosemary had just finished tucking Aaron into bed so now she was getting Lilly ready for bed; Aaron went to bed an hour earlier than Lilly so Lee and Rosemary could have some quality time with each of them every day. Of course, she had no idea how their new routine would be once the baby arrived, but for now, she was enjoying her time with her not-so-little babies.  
Rosemary finished tucking Lilly into bed and asked, “Did you have a good Christmas, Lilly Bug?” Lilly nodded happily, “Good,” Rosemary smiled.  
“I’m really sorry for making you cry,” apologized Lilly, “Daddy and Aunt Elizabeth told me how much you wanted the baby and how happy you are about the baby.”  
Rosemary chuckled, “It’s okay, sweetheart. I forgive you. But can I let you in on a little secret?” Lilly nodded and perked up, “Well, you know how everyone has something that makes them afraid?”  
“Like how Aaron’s afraid of the dark or how I’m scared of spiders?” questioned Lilly.  
“Yeah, like that,” Rosemary said, “Well, sometimes I get a little scared taking care of babies, so I could really use your help when the baby gets here.”  
“I won’t have to change any diapers, will I?” asked Lilly, wrinkling her nose in disgust.  
“No,” Rosemary laughed quietly, “In fact, I let Daddy change most of yours and Aaron’s diapers,” she joked, “But sometimes I’ll need help dressing the baby or playing with the baby. Maybe you could help me do those kinds of things. You can be Mommy’s special little helper.”  
Lilly nodded eagerly, “Okay,” Lilly hesitated, “Do you want the baby to be a boy or a girl?”  
Rosemary sighed, “I don’t know, Lilly Bug. Daddy and I will be happy either way,” Lilly nodded but Rosemary could tell she wanted to say something more. She remembered what Lillian had said earlier that day about wanting a sister, “Sweetheart, will you be upset if the baby isn’t a girl?” Lilly didn’t say anything, but Rosie could tell by the look in Lilly’s eyes the answer was yes, “You can tell me the truth, sweetheart. I won’t be upset.”  
“A little,” she admitted. Lilly looked over at a sleeping Aaron and turned back to Rosemary, “But little brothers are cool too.”  
Rosemary smiled softly and kissed Lilly, “Merry Christmas, sweetheart. I love you so much.”  
“I love you too, Mommy,” said Lilly. Rosemary was just about to leave the room when Lilly called out to her, “Mommy?” Rosemary stood in the doorway, “Thank you.”  
“For…for what?” Rosie asked.  
“For telling Santa to give me and Aaron a new baby for Christmas,” said Lilly.  
Rosemary’s heart swelled at the fact that Lillian was excited about their newest family member as her hand drifted down to her abdomen, “You’re welcome, Little Flower.”  
Rosemary turned to leave and Lilly called out to her again, “Mommy?”  
Rosemary took a deep breath to quell her frustration, as Lilly was beginning to grate on her nerves. She was at the age where she would do almost anything to get out of going to bed, “What Lillian?” she asked through gritted teeth in a warning tone.  
Lilly motioned for Rosemary to come to her bedside. Rosemary slowly walked back over to her and Lilly leaned in to kiss Rosie’s belly, “Night night, baby Coulter!”  
Rosemary’s heart leapt with joy once again and she patted Lilly’s head, “Alright bedtime, Lillian,” she stressed. She kissed her once again before she went to leave the room. She paused to make sure Lilly didn’t call her back. She turned and found Lilly’s eyes were closed, so she quietly shut the door behind her. She went into the master bedroom, though she could hear Lee in the bathroom, so she was alone at the moment. She climbed into bed and rubbed a hand over her tummy, “You know what, little one? You already have this whole family wrapped around your little finger.”


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's note: Rip is alive in this story. Please review and thank you for your support

Over the course of the next few days, the town began to prepare for the upcoming storm. Sure there was snow on the ground in Hope Valley, but there would be times the falling flakes would stop, leaving time to gather supplies before the big storm hit right around December 28th. The morning of December 27th, a Saturday, Elizabeth had just finished cooking breakfast when Jack and the kids came down the stairs. Jack smiled at his beautiful wife and kissed her on the cheek, “Breakfast smells good.”   
“Waffles, bacon, and sausage,” she smiled happily, pouring milk for the kids and coffee for herself and Jack. The family sat down at the dining room table and said their morning prayer before they began to eat, “So, I was thinking maybe we could have a family game day, maybe do some drawing for the kids and painting for you,” smiled Elizabeth to her husband.  
“Ah, I would love that, but I have to go out,” sighed Jack sadly.  
Elizabeth looked out the window and saw where the snow was staring to get heavier again, “Are you sure?”  
“Bill and I have to make sure all the businesses are prepared and I have to gather some more firewood, just to make sure we don’t run out when we’re stuck inside,” said Jack. He took a swig of his coffee, “I promise I’ll be home this afternoon.”  
“Alright,” Elizabeth pouted cutely. She truly admired at how devoted Jack was to keeping Hope Valley safe and sound from any danger.   
The family heard a knock and Jack went to answer the door, “Lee,” he smiled happily.  
“Hey Jack,” Lee smiled.  
“Hi Uncle Lee!” William waved from the table.  
“Hi William,” he smiled, “Hey, do you guys have maple syrup?”   
“It’s the Canadian frontier, Lee. Every family has maple syrup in their house,” joked Jack.  
“Yeah, not us,” said Lee.  
Jack smiled and stepped aside to let Lee into the house. Elizabeth stood and walked over to them, “I could’ve sworn I saw Rosemary buy two bottles yesterday at the mercantile.”  
“Oh that’s gone,” said Lee, “Apparently, the only way she can keep food down is if she covers everything in maple syrup. And I do literally mean everything. Well, now the kids want pancakes for breakfast and we have no maple syrup, the mercantile won’t open until noon so Ned can get everything ready for the pre-blizzard rush…you get the picture.”  
Jack and Elizabeth bit their lips to hide their amusement and Elizabeth went to get a fresh bottle of syrup, “Here you go, Lee,” she chuckled.  
“Thanks,” he said gratefully, “I promise I’ll buy you a new one or reimburse you or something.”  
“That’s okay, Lee, you don’t have to do that,” Jack held up his hand.  
“We’ve been there,” smirked Elizabeth.   
“Pregnancy cravings, you know how they are,” he tried to add levity to his slight annoyance, “Thanks again guys.”  
“Good luck, Lee!” said Jack.  
“Thanks I’ll need it,” he called back.  
Jack and Elizabeth laughed as they went back to the table, “Remember those days?” asked Elizabeth fondly.   
“I remember running around town at 3:00 in the morning trying to find pickles AND apple sauce since you wanted to dip the pickles _in_ the apple sauce before William was born,” Jack chuckled lightly, “You wouldn’t let me back in the house until I found both items.”   
William wrinkled his nose, “I hate pickles and apple sauce,” he stated.  
“That’s probably why, sweetie,” said Elizabeth, rubbing his shoulder.   
“Mommy, why has Aunt Rosemary been eating really weird things?” asked William.  
“Aaron told us the other day she dipped chocolate chip cookies in ketchup,” said Mary, a hint of repulsion in the young girl’s voice.   
“Well…” stuttered Elizabeth trying to come up with a kid-friendly response, “Everyone’s bodies make these things called hormones. I have them, Daddy has them, you all have them. Well, when a mommy has a baby in her belly, she makes extra hormones to help grow the baby. Sometimes those extra hormones cause her to eat some really strange things. That’s why Aunt Rosemary is eating so many weird things, because of the baby in her tummy.” The kids nodded, though Elizabeth could tell they still didn’t completely understand.  
“Don’t worry kids, it’s normal. Mommy was the same way when you all were in her tummy,” said Jack.  
“Well, if I ever dip chocolate chip cookies in ketchup, please ground me,” stated William, going back to his waffles.   
Jack and Elizabeth laughed and Jack drank the last of his coffee, “I have to go. I should be back before lunchtime.”  
“Bye Daddy!” Mary and Charlotte hugged him along with William.  
“See you girls, Buddy,” he patted their heads, “Love you, sweetheart,” he kissed Elizabeth.  
“Love you too,” she kissed him back.   
******************************************************************************  
Dottie was just finishing up the last of the orders for New Year’s Eve when Rosemary walked into the dress shop. She took a whiff of the air and immediately covered her nose and mouth, “Dottie, what on Earth is that awful smell?” she asked making a valiant effort to keep down the bile coming up her throat.   
“Hot chocolate, why?” asked Dottie.  
“Because it smells like a combination of spoiled milk, rotten eggs, and some sort of poison,” stated Rosemary irritably, doing her best not to gag.  
“Okay, Rosie,” said Dottie, first placing the mug of hot cocoa as far away from her expectant friend as possible, then coming over to her and laying her hands on Rosie’s shoulders, “I told you, if you need to take some time off to deal with nausea and fatigue, you could. We’re not overly busy with the storm coming.”   
“Oh I’m not here to work,” informed Rosemary, uncovering her mouth. Thankfully, her nauseous stomach was settling a little, “I’m here to place an order,” she admitted with contempt, giving Dottie a ‘you know what’ look, “I got rid of my old one last year because Lee and I were struggling to get pregnant. Murphy’s Law right?” she joked lightly, “And I figure since my bust no longer fits, it won’t be much longer before my midsection doesn’t either.”   
“Rosie,” said Dottie, taking her hand, “You will be beautiful. And I’m not Lee, so I don’t have to say that,” Rosemary snickered and Dottie continued, “Just remember, every time you’re feeling down, think about the sweet little baby that will be in your arms before you know it.”   
“Thanks Dottie,” smiled Rosemary appreciatively, “Well, I better get home. Lee and I promised the kids we’d make cookies and brownies. Looks like Lee will be dealing with the chocolate today,” Rosemary turned to leave, “Have a good day, Dottie!” she called.  
******************************************************************************  
Jack and Bill were just finishing their rounds and it looked as if everyone was nearly prepared for the snow storm. Bill helped Jack gather some extra firewood and said, “Well, everything looks good, businesses are ready. Everyone has their extra supplies on hand,” said Bill, “I’ll see you tomorrow if necessary, but I’d say it’s time to start hibernating.”  
“Okay,” Jack chuckled. Jack headed home and went inside to find his family playing a game at the table.  
“DADDY!” they all shouted happily, running to hug him.  
“Hey Kiddos,” he smiled. He placed the wood by the fire and stood back up where Elizabeth was standing behind him, “Well, Mrs. Thornton, 1.2 meters of snow, three kids, and a basset hound, you think we’re ready?” he asked wrapping his arms around her.   
Elizabeth smiled and cradled his face in her hands. She kissed him gently before she smiled and said, “Always.”   
******************************************************************************  
Lee shivered as he entered the house and found his wife, daughter, and son in the kitchen. He patted Lilly’s and Aaron’s heads before he came up behind Rosemary and wrapped his arms around her waist, stroking his thumbs over her abdomen. He kissed her temple, “So what’s been made so far?”  
“We’re making peanut butter cookies right now, sugar cookies are in the oven, I’m sorry but all of the ginger cookies have already been eaten, unfortunately,” she pouted cutely.  
“No, she’s not. She let Lilly and I have one and she ate the rest. Says the baby wanted them,” said Aaron.  
“Aaron Jacob Coulter,” warned Lee. Aaron generally got into less mischief than Lilly did, but he was still a five year old boy; he wasn’t exempt from being punished sometimes.  
“Keep mixing the batter, I have to talk to Daddy,” Rosemary patted Lilly’s shoulder and pulled Lee closer to the sitting area, “Is everyone prepared?”  
“Seems it. I made sure we had enough firewood, plus necessities and stuff for your morning sickness,” he whispered.  
“Speaking of, you’re going to have to help them with the chocolate chip cookies and the brownies or else I’ll…” she pretended to get sick, “Plus I might go lie down and rest my eyes.”  
“Go rest, we’ll be fine ,” he squeezed her arms and kissed her cheek, “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” said Rosemary. She took off her apron and handed it to Lee before heading upstairs.   
Lee tied the apron around him and looked over the brownie recipe, “Daddy, can I ask you a question?” asked Lilly.  
“Shoot,” said Lee.  
“When are we going to start building our new house?” she asked curiously.  
“We’ll probably start closer to the end of winter around end of March or early April, but we definitely have to wait until most of the snow stops,” informed Lee.   
“Wait, what new house?” asked Aaron.  
“We’re moving into a new bigger house because when Mommy has the baby, we won’t fit in this one,” said Lilly, concentrating on mixing the cookie batter.  
“Wait, we’re moving?!” asked Aaron, “But I don’t want to move. All of my friends are here!”  
“Buddy, we’re not moving out of Hope Valley, just into a bigger house at the edge of town…”  
“But I don’t want to move into a bigger house! I like this house!”  
“I know, Buddy, but with the new baby on the way, we won’t all fit…”  
“It’s not fair. I don’t want to be a big brother anymore! Make Mommy give the baby back to Santa!” Aaron threw his apron down on the floor and ran upstairs in tears.  
“Aaron…” called Lee. He looked down at an oblivious Lillian a little frustratingly, but then decided against reprimanding her. He knew she had meant no harm and hadn’t meant to upset Aaron with what she had said. She took after her mother in that regard, “Tell you what Princess, why don’t we finish the peanut butter cookies and then we’ll take a break so I can go talk to Aaron.”  
Lilly shrugged, “Okay Daddy.”   
******************************************************************************  
Abigail entered her room after getting Cody and Becky ready for bed. She glanced out the window and sighed. There was already so much snow on the ground and more would be coming overnight. The temperature outside was quickly dropping, so Abigail couldn’t help but think about the individuals of Hope Valley as well as those who had nowhere to go, “Is something wrong, honey?” Frank asked her.  
Abigail turned around and forced a smile, “Just tired, that’s all.”  
“Abigail, we’ve been married for seven years. I know what you look like when you’re tired. That isn’t an ‘I’m tired’ face,” he said, “Now what’s wrong?”   
Abigail climbed into bed and Frank let her snuggle against his chest, “Just worried about everyone with the storm that’s all.” Frank nodded, but he knew there was more on her mind so he stayed silent, “I mean, I’m worried about everyone here, but everyone in Hope Valley has a home to keep them warm. I can’t help but think about that homeless community near Calgary that has nowhere to go. The one that’s right by the park. I know we can pray, but I feel like I need to do more for them.”  
Frank kissed the top of Abigail’s head, “It’s that big heart of yours. And that Christian spirit you have. The one I fell in love with eight years ago, and the one I’m still in love with today.”  
Abigail smiled and kissed him, “I love you, Frank.”   
“I love you too,” he smiled and rubbed his thumb over her cheek, “Now try to get some sleep. You’ve had a busy couple of days and more to come.”  
Abigail sighed, but complied. After preparing for Christmas as well as for the storm, she couldn’t help but fall fast asleep soon after she closed her eyes.


	17. Chapter 17

By the time Sunday morning hit, there was a large accumulation of snow on the ground. Very few Hope Valley residents were able to get to church for services, but Frank easily understood that many people were trapped because of the weather, not from lack of faith. The Thorntons and the Coulters instead spent the morning doing devotionals together before breakfast at Jack and Elizabeth’s house. After the meal, Lee, Rosemary, and Aaron went home while Lilly stayed behind to have Elizabeth clarify a math lesson for her. The other three walked in the door only to have Aaron storm straight up the stairs and lock himself in his room, much to the heartache of both Rosie and Lee. Rosemary turned around to face Lee and he noticed the tears forming in her eyes, “Come here, sweetheart,” he took her into his arms and ruffled her hair as she sobbed into his chest. He had told her the night before about what Aaron had said about not wanting to be a big brother anymore and neither one of them were able to brighten his mood. And quite honestly, Aaron having a meltdown was new territory for both of them. Usually, it was Lilly who had the attitude, it was Lilly who had the regular meltdowns, it was Lilly who threw temper-tantrums, it was Lilly who would produce enough tears to rival the water produced at Niagara Falls. Even as an infant, she had had colic, so sometimes she would cry for absolutely no reason whatsoever other than she must’ve loved hearing herself scream. Aaron, on the other hand, had always been such an easy-going child. He hadn’t even cried when he came out and had barely cried as a baby other than when he wanted fed or changed. Both parents could count on one hand the number of times Aaron had had a meltdown in his five years of life, while there weren’t enough fingers and toes in Hope Valley to add up all of Lilly’s woes in her seven years of life.  
Once Rosemary had composed herself, she took a shaky breath and looked up at Lee, “Oh Lee, I don’t know what to do. I finally get Lilly on board with a new baby brother or sister only to have Aaron become upset. I’m starting to believe this was a mistake.”  
“Rosemary, don’t even go there,” Lee stated firmly yet compassionately, cradling her face in his hands, “A baby is never a mistake. A surprise maybe, but never a mistake.”  
They sat down and Rosemary sighed before snuggling next to him, “But what if this baby was against God’s plan, Lee? I mean we spent so long trying and struggling to conceive. We tried every natural fertility boosting wives tale in the book. We managed to…on a regular basis even with two kids and nothing. One week in Quebec and suddenly, I come back pregnant. Maybe we went away for our own selfish desires and God was telling us all along we were meant to have only two children.”  
“Or…” Lee began to rub soothing circles over Rosemary’s abdomen, “Maybe He was making sure everyone was ready for such a big change. And maybe you’re questioning things because you’re nervous about everything.”  
“I am,” mocked Rosemary.  
“Mmhm,” said Lee, “Rosie, you’ve always been afraid of change. You were terrified when we first started courting, then we had found our rhythm as a married couple when Lilly came along. You were so nervous about motherhood, but guess what? You’ll be the first to admit Lilly was one of the best things to ever happen to you. Then, along came baby number two, and a different gender at that. But, we adjusted.”  
“So what are you saying?” asked Rosemary as she closed her eyes and listened to the steady sound of Lee’s heartbeat.  
He smiled down at her and said, “I’m saying maybe one of the reasons you’re doubting yourself is because it’s been just the four of us for so long, that maybe the concept of a new baby scares more people in this family than just the kids,” Rosemary glanced up at him skeptically, indicating for him to continue, “I’m just saying, for all of us, myself included, the whole concept of a new baby was abstract, and now that it’s actually happening, the anxiety about the change is kicking in for everyone. And for Aaron’s, it’s coming through via the concept of moving into a new house.”  
Rosemary squeezed his hand, “You really are the strength that holds this family together you know.”  
“Rosie…”  
“No, I’m serious. I wouldn’t even have the strength and confidence to be a Mommy if you weren’t right here by my side supporting and encouraging me. I’d be a mess,” she vented.  
Lee kissed Rosemary’s temple, “Well, that’s what I’m here for,” he smiled, an idea suddenly hitting him, “Tell you what? How about after dinner, we put the kids to bed at the same time tonight and I do the bedtime story. I think it’ll help both Lilly and Aaron with the news about the baby.”  
Rosie creased her brow in bewilderment but nodded, “Okay, anything I need to get?”  
“I need you to find the old photo albums,” said Lee. Rosemary nodded again, still baffled, but she trusted her husband in this case, “Now, is there anything else I can do to make you feel better?”  
Rosemary gave Lee a pleading grin, “Well, Abigail said the café would be open in case of emergencies, food wise. She makes a really good apple cobbler…”  
“Rosie…” Lee warned jokingly.  
Oh Leland,” she began to kiss his cheeks over and over again, “You wouldn’t _really_ deny a pregnant woman the food she was craving right? It’s not me that wants apple cobbler, it’s the baby.”  
Lee sighed, but smiled, “Alright, I’ll get you Abigail’s apple cobbler.” He began to pull on his snow boots.  
“Thank you, sweetheart,” she smiled proudly. Lee pulled on his coat and was just about to leave the house when Rosemary stopped him, “Oh, honey,” Lee stopped dead in the doorway, “I also used up the bottle of maple syrup you got from Jack and Elizabeth yesterday,” she hinted.  
Lee sighed in frustration, but made sure Rosemary didn’t notice, “Of course, dear.”  
******************************************************************************  
Harry was reading the daily newspaper and drinking a coffee when Gowen came down the stairs that morning. Harry looked up at Gowen and stood upon his entrance, “Oh, Henry, you’re up.”  
Gowen looked at his cousin as he poured himself a glass of orange juice, “Yes.”  
“I have good news,” said Harry, “I’ve used my connections with the Mounties and they can give you escort back to Hope Valley by the evening of December 31st,” informed Harry.  
Gowen didn’t show it, but inside he was very excited at the prospect of being back in Hope Valley, “That’s great, Harry. I appreciate it. When do I leave?”  
“ _We_ leave in a few hours if we want to make it to Alberta by New Year’s,” stated Harry.  
“But, don’t you have responsibilities here?” asked Gowen.  
Harry shook his head, “With Mom gone, the only family I have left in Canada is you. Everyone else is in the U.S. now. Besides, I just wouldn’t forgive myself if something happened to you and not see your safety, no matter how many differences we have.”  
Gowen nodded his understanding, “Well, I’ll start packing my stuff and I’ll send a telegram to Abigail letting her know we’ll be on our way to Hope Valley,” Gowen headed towards the stairs, but turned around, “Harry?” Harry looked up at him, “Thank you. You don’t know how much this means to me.”  
“It’s no problem,” said Harry, “Now go get ready.”  
******************************************************************************  
Abigail got up from her place on the couch when she heard a telegram come into the machine. She grabbed the message and read, _“Abigail, Harry and I are on our way back to Hope Valley. We should be there by New Year’s Eve. Stay safe in the storm. Thank you for keeping me updated. - Henry.”_  
Abigail heard the door open and turned to see who it was. Sure, the café wasn’t officially closed, but she hadn’t had any customers all day. She smiled when she was Lee enter the sitting area, “Lee,” she smiled and walked over to him.  
“Hey Abigail,” he smiled warmly and gave her a quick embrace.  
“What brings you out trudging through all of this snow?” asked Abigail.  
“Well you said you’d be open for emergencies and my pregnant wife is craving apple cobbler right now,” said Lee.  
Abigail chuckled and squeezed his arms, “Well, thankfully, I have all the ingredients and it shouldn’t take me that long to make.”  
“Thank goodness, because if you didn’t have it, then the emergency is I’d be sleeping on the couch here tonight because Rosie wouldn’t let me back into the house,” said Lee.  
“Well, in her defense, pregnancy cravings can often be very powerful,” said Abigail, heading into the kitchen. She quickly threw the ingredients together and stuck it into the oven before she joined Lee again in the sitting area, “It should be done in about 30 minutes.”  
“Thanks. I’m sorry to bother you,” apologized Lee.  
“It’s no problem, Lee. I’ve been pregnant before and I remember what I put Noah through before Peter was born. If I can do my part in making sure you’re not treated the same way, I’m happy to help,” Lee nodded uneasily and Abigail could tell something was on his mind, “Lee, what’s wrong?” she asked gently.  
“Nothing, I’m fine,” he responded.  
“Lee,” Abigail gave him a knowing look.  
“Just that it’s been hit and miss with the kids. First minute they’re excited about the new baby and then they’re upset. Lilly wasn’t happy at first but now she’s excited only to have Aaron wanting us to give the baby back to Santa. Lilly doesn’t remember being an only child, I mean Aaron might as well be her twin, memory wise, but I have the feeling she will feel a little envious once the new baby gets here. An Aaron, he’s so laid back like me that sometimes Rosie and I forget he can get angry or upset,” Lee rambled.  
“Mm,” nodded Abigail, “Well, I’m going to be honest with you, I only had Peter with Noah and Cody and Becky had been together already before Frank and I adopted them, so new sibling adjustment isn’t exactly my field of expertise.”  
“Oh I know,” said Lee, “Guess it’s just that the kids aren’t the only ones nervous about the new baby. She’s doing her best to hide it, but I can tell Rosie is terrified too.”  
Abigail laid a hand on Lee’s shoulder, “Something tells me Rosie isn’t the only one terrified.”  
Lee hesitated but finally shook his head, “She isn’t,” he admitted. Abigail stayed silent but eventually, Lee couldn’t take the quiet atmosphere anymore, “We struggled for so long. We even had a few false alarms. I just figured it wasn’t meant to be. Now that we have another Coulter on the way…I don’t know, you’d think it being our third kid, I wouldn’t be as nervous as I am.”  
“Lee, I don’t care if it’s your first or your fifteenth, adding to the family is always scary,” comforted Abigail.  
“And it’s hard for me to watch the woman I love go through so much: all the physical discomforts of pregnancy followed by the pain of birth. Plus you know parenting doesn’t come naturally to Rosie,” Abigail nodded in affirmation. Rosemary loved her kids dearly, but she often came to her or Frank for guidance when she was feeling immensely overwhelmed, “Add the extra worry about the baby, I just feel like I have to be the rock.”  
“Lee,” said Abigail, taking his hand, “You are a loving husband and a devoted father, but you need to look after yourself. You know Frank or I are here to listen if you need to talk.”  
“Thanks Abigail,” smiled Lee. The timer dinged and Abigail went to check on the cobbler. She put the ice cream on it and put it a container before hand it to Lee, “That should do the trick.”  
“Thanks again, Abigail. For the cobbler and the…”  
Abigail held up her hand, “Always happy to help.”  
Lee went to leave before he stopped himself, “Oh, maple syrup.”  
“I’m sorry?” questioned Abigail.  
“We’re out of maple syrup and Rosie’s been coating everything with it,” said Lee. Abigail snickered and briefly disappeared before returning with a large bottle, “Thanks, but I can’t promise you this will last.”  
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, Shane and Faith were enjoying their evening after a long day. Being a nurse, Faith still had to report to the infirmary in case of a medical emergency, so Shane had to make sure to clear a pathway for her. They heard Phillip come down the stairs, “Daddy?”  
Shane looked over at his son, “Buddy, why aren’t you in bed?”  
“I can’t sleep. There’s too much ice and snow hitting the windows. Plus all the wind is scary,” he admitted.  
“Come here,” Shane motioned Phillip over to him. He kissed the top his his head.  
“Daddy, do you think Faith, I mean, Mommy could make hot chocolate the way Mommy did?”  
Faith glanced between Phillip and Shane, “How was that?” she mouthed at her husband.  
“With cinnamon and little marshmallows,” answered Shane back.  
Faith smiled and ruffled Phillip’s hair, “I can certainly try.” After Faith had made three mugs, she placed them down on the table and Phillip took a big gulp, “Well?” Faith asked nervously.  
“It’s okay. Mommy didn’t add as much cinnamon and had more marshmallows in it,” said Phillip a little disappointingly.  
“Well, I’ll know for next time, less cinnamon, more marshmallows,” smiled Faith, “Now it’s time for bed.”  
“Can Daddy tuck me in?” Phillip looked up at his father.  
“Of course,” he smiled and then looked up at Faith, who had a look of hurt in her eyes. He sighed and smiled softly, “I’ll be right back.”  
“Good night, Phillip,” Faith hugged him.  
“Good night,” he hugged her back and went upstairs for the night.  
******************************************************************************  
Rosemary bathed the kids and dressed them in their pajamas. They both went to get into their beds before Rosie stopped them, “Lilly, Aaron, wait!” they both turned to face their mother, “Daddy’s actually going to read you your bedtime story tonight, but he wants to do it in our room. So go down to Mommy and Daddy’s room. I’ll be there in a minute.” Lilly and Aaron nodded and ran down the hall. Rosemary looked around her kids’ room and picked up a few of the toys, putting them away in the toy boxes before she joined her husband and children. She smiled and sat down next to them on the bed and laid a hand over her belly, Lee on the other side of Lilly and Aaron.  
Lee patted both of their heads and asked, “Okay, I know you both have mixed feelings about the new baby. Am I correct in making that assumption?” the siblings looked at each and nodded, “Well, I’m going to tell you both a special story and then I’m going to let you ask questions at the end, okay?” they nodded again, “Okay, then,” he opened one of the photo albums, “Once upon a time, there was this boy from Edmonton who loved to build things. He always dreamed of one of owning his own business where he could build houses and other buildings. Well, all the way on the other side of Canada, in Montreal, there was a sweet little girl who loved to perform plays. She dreamed of being on Broadway one day. And eventually she got there,” Lee said.  
“Is that you, Daddy?” asked Aaron, pointing to a picture of Lee as a boy.  
“Yeah,” Lee smiled. He was standing next to Patrick, but Aaron didn’t ask anything, so Lee figured he’d explain it once they were older.  
“And is that you, Mommy?” asked Lilly, pointing to a picture of Rosemary.  
“Mmhm,” Rosemary nodded.  
Aaron looked at Lilly and said, “You a lot like Mommy as a little kid.”  
“Anyway…” continued Lee, “There was this small town in Alberta, once known as Coal Valley. The little girl from Montreal came to Coal Valley for….personal motives,” said Lee and Rosemary chuckled at him. The kids knew about Mommy and Uncle Jack knowing each other when they were kids, but didn’t have a clue about the engagement; both of them, plus Lee and Elizabeth wanted it to remain that way, “Well, the little boy from Edmonton came to Coal Valley because he felt it was the perfect place for his saw mill. He rode into town on his motorcycle and the girl from Montreal was instantly smitten.”  
“What’s smitten mean?” asked Aaron.  
“It means Mommy liked Daddy,” answered Lilly.  
“Well, Ms. Rosemary LeVeaux had a crush on Mr. Leland Coulter, but she wouldn’t admit it. So Lee pretended to have Mrs. Molly Sullivan court him to get Rosie’s attention. And boy did it work like a charm. So, that talented actress finally admitted she liked the saw mill owner and they began to court. Before long, she was offered a job in Hollywood. She had always dreamed of a Hollywood career, but she soon realized her dreams had changed. Her dream was to stay in Hope Valley with that one special man. So one night, Mr. Lee Coulter got down on one knee and asked Ms. Rosemary LeVeaux if she would take a different role and be his wife.”  
“Did she say yes?” asked Lilly excitedly.  
Rosemary scowled at her daughter jokingly, “You’re here, aren’t you?”  
“Oh yeah,” Lilly frowned, briefly forgetting that Lee was describing his and Rosie’s love story.  
“Well one beautiful day in July, Ms. Rosemary LeVeaux became Mrs. Rosemary Coulter,” Lee pointed to their wedding portrait.  
“You looked so pretty on your wedding day, Mommy,” smiled Lilly, “I hope I look as pretty as you on my wedding day.”  
Lee and Rosemary both widened their eyes and looked at each other, both wondering who was more nervous about that day, “Well, thankfully, that day is _MANY_ years away,” said Rosemary.  
“Well soon after the wedding, Rosie found out she was expecting a baby. And on October 9, 1912, they welcomed a special little Princess, who they named Lillian Naomi Coulter, into the world.”  
“I was a cute baby, wasn’t I?” asked Lilly.  
“Can you make her stop talking?” asked Aaron, “And where do I fit in?”  
“We’re getting there, Buddy,” said Lee, “And probably not,” he whispered to his son.  
Lilly crossed her arms over her chest, but didn’t say anything, “Well, Mommy and Daddy loved their little Princess, but they felt something was missing. So on May 26, 1914, they added a little Prince named Aaron Jacob Coulter to the family”  
“I still don’t think Aaron was as cute of a baby as me,” said Lilly.  
“Anyhow, they loved their little Prince and their little Princess, and they created a lot of memories with them in their little row house, but soon…” Lee turned the page, only to find blank spaces, “Oh no! There’s no more story left! Whatever will we do?” he asked jokingly.  
The children giggled and Rosemary laughed as well, “The new baby,” answered Lilly.  
“And the bigger house,” added Aaron.  
“Right,” Lee closed the book, “Listen, just because Mommy’s having another baby doesn’t mean we love you both any less and just because we’re building a bigger house doesn’t mean we’ll forget the memories we made in this one. A new baby will help us make new memories in the new house.”  
“And Uncle Jack, Aunt Elizabeth, and their kids will be building one next door,” said Rosemary, “So I’m sure many of those memories will include them just like this one does.”  
The kids nodded but both of them soon fell asleep before Lee and Rosie could let them ask questions. Rosemary glanced up at Lee and smiled, “I think you wore them out. At least it wasn’t one of your boring work stories,” she smirked.  
“Boring?” asked Lee incredulously as he scooped Aaron into his arms. Rosemary began to scoop Lilly into hers before Lee scolded, “Rosie, you already have one baby you’re carrying.”  
“I’m not that pregnant yet,” she said, following Lee to the kids’ bedroom. The expectant parents tucked them both into their beds and kissed them goodnight before they went back to their room hand in hand. They got back into their bed and Lee kissed Rosie’s abdomen, “Have a good night, little one. Daddy loves you.”  
Rosemary rubbed her hand through Lee’s brown hair and kissed him, “You know, every time I think about our story, my heart still skips a beat.”  
Lee blew out the candles and Rosemary cuddled next to him. He kissed her temple and said, “And it’s only going to get better.”


	18. Chapter 18

Monday morning, the snow had thankfully stopped with only a few flurries here and there. It gave the people of Hope Valley the opportunity to dig out and begin to prepare the center of town for their New Year’s Eve celebration. Business owners were also able to get their shops and restaurants open. Poor Abigail and Clara were slammed with customers at the café because everyone wanted to get out of their houses and Dottie was already beginning to get orders for Valentine’s Day. Add the fact that everyone was running around like mad men with the party since Rosemary was usually the one to keep everyone on schedule, the whole town looked as if they were lost sheep. Thankfully, Elizabeth and Molly had stepped up to finish the preparations for New Year’s Eve since Dottie and Clara had become too overwhelmed with work and Rosemary was reaching the peak of her nausea and extreme fatigue, “Okay, Jack and Bill have cleared enough space in the field by the church for the fireworks, Clara and Abigail are making sweets, New Year’s isn’t quite as big as Christmas, so I can make sure Rosemary is up to date and we should call everything officially done,” said Elizabeth.  
“Good,” said Molly, “I’ll let Clara and Dottie know. I’m actually on my way over to the dress shop now to pick up Rosaleen’s new Sunday dress. It was supposed to be one of her Christmas presents but Dottie got a little behind at the dress shop, so it wasn’t ready on time.”  
“Well, we both know how bad the first trimester of pregnancy can be. I wouldn’t be too hard on Dottie or Rosie,” sympathized Elizabeth.  
“Oh I know,” said Molly, “Well, I’ll see you at the celebration and countdown tomorrow.”  
“See you then,” said Elizabeth, helping Molly with her coat and escorting her out the door. Elizabeth put on her own winter gear and went next door to inform Rosemary of their progress. Elizabeth knocked and Rosemary answered a few moments later and she had some brownie crumbs on her lips, “Hey, Rosie, can I come in?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Oh, of course,” smiled Rosemary. She stepped aside to let Elizabeth inside, though the latter noticed that the Coulter house was much quieter than usual.  
“Um, where are Lee and the kids?” asked Elizabeth, looking around the room.  
“He took them to Abigail’s for lunch. They were so tired of being cooped up in the house. I felt too sick to go, so I stayed behind and made myself some chicken noodle soup and then I decided the brownies I had made for the party looked really, _really_ good,” emphasized Rosemary.  
Elizabeth chuckled, “I can see that,” Rosemary scowled in confusion, “You have brownie crumbs on your face.”  
“Oh,” Rosemary wiped her face clean, “Pardon me.”  
“It’s quite alright, but I thought even the thought of chocolate was making you sick?” questioned Elizabeth.  
“Oh, that was two days ago. Today I can’t get enough of it,” said Rosemary, waving her hands in the air jokingly. The two women sat on the settee and Rosemary asked, “So what brings you by?”  
“I just wanted to let you know Molly and I finished up the preparations for New Year’s Eve tomorrow,” smiled Elizabeth, “And not to worry about it because everything’s been covered.”  
“Thank you, I really appreciate it,” smiled Rosemary, but then furrowed her brow, “Wait a minute? I thought Clara and Dottie took over the responsibilities?”  
“They did, but Abigail and Clara have been slammed at the café and Dottie had some dress orders she was behind on from Christmas,” said Elizabeth.  
“Oh dear, if I had known Dottie was behind, I would’ve pushed through everything. But there were days, and still some actually, where I’ve done nothing but alternate between sleeping and hugging the buckets,” Rosemary began to panic.  
“Rosie, it’s okay. Dottie understands,” Elizabeth calmed her down, “Now, I’d love to stay, but I promised William, Mary, and Charlotte I’d help them make snowmen. Again,” Elizabeth stood to leave.  
“Elizabeth, wait!” Rosemary called. Elizabeth turned around and found Rosie fighting back tears, “Can I ask you a question?” she asked softly.  
Elizabeth sat back down and took Rosemary’s hand, “Of course, anything.”  
Rosemary took a deep breath, “You had the girls five years after William was born. How did he handle the time you were pregnant with them and then how did he react once they were born?”  
“Oh wow,” Elizabeth thought about it, “Well, Jack went away on that assignment to train new Mounties when I was about six months along, so both of us had that on our minds for part of it. Also at the time, we all believed it was only one baby, but…” Elizabeth trailed off composing her thoughts, “He was excited, but there were also times he wasn’t as excited. He was afraid Jack and I would love the baby more. Once Mary got here, he was mesmerized, then thirty minutes later, Charlotte was born. Well, of course, two babies took up a lot of our time and they never seemed to nap or feed on the same schedule. He loves them both, but I’m not going to lie. He did act out some both before and after they were born,” Rosemary nodded uneasily even though she was satisfied by Elizabeth’s response, “I take it the kids aren’t 100% on board with the concept of a new baby brother or sister?”  
Rosemary shook her head and sighed. She wiped away a few tears, “Well, we told them on Christmas morning and Aaron was thrilled. Lilly was a little angry at first, but you know her so I fully expected her to react the way she did,” Elizabeth nodded, “Well, we managed to calm her down and accept the idea, but now Aaron no longer wants to be a big brother.”  
“Why not? You said he was practically begging for a younger sibling,” said Elizabeth.  
“Because he doesn’t want to move, even though it would just be a bigger house and not out of Hope Valley,” explained Rosemary, “We talked to them both a little last night, but I heard them both talking in their room this morning. They still don’t understand why Mommy and Daddy wanted another baby and think we were fine just the four of us. And now…” Rosemary started to cry, “I’m starting to think they’re right.”  
“Rosie…” Elizabeth started, but was quickly interrupted.  
“I know it sounds stupid after all Lee and I went through, but maybe having so much trouble conceiving was a sign from God we weren’t meant to have another baby. Lee’s trying to convince me this baby wasn’t a mistake, but he’ll also say whatever makes me feel better. He’s just that type of person,” Rosemary wiped her eyes, “I know, I know, it’s the hormones; I just don’t know what to do. I can’t change the fact that I’m pregnant, and I wouldn’t want to even if I could. I just really want them to be excited with us and help us plan, make this a family event.”  
Elizabeth went to take a brownie, but Rosemary swatted her hand away, “Well, one thing Jack and I did was let William be involved with the planning. We sometimes took him to my doctor’s appointments and Dr. Shepherd let him listen to the heartbeats, feel the kicking. We had him pick out some toys and clothes for the baby/babies, told him stories about when he was a baby, answered his questions, within reason,” described Elizabeth and then her face lit up, “Oh, Rosemary, you just gave me a wonderful idea for a project at school.”  
“I did,” she asked and then her face lit up as well, “Well, of course I did! I’ve never had a bad idea in my life.”  
“Never?” asked Elizabeth, raising an eyebrow.  
“Okay, maybe a couple,” she admitted defeat.  
Lee and the kids walked through the door and Aaron smiled happily, “Hi Aunt Elizabeth!”  
“Hi Aaron,” she smiled and hugged him, then Lilly as well.  
“Elizabeth, pleasure seeing you here,” said Lee.  
“Well, I’m actually getting ready to go. I’m sure my kids are getting impatient waiting on Mommy,” said Elizabeth, standing to leave.  
“Well go then,” said Lee and Elizabeth left.  
The kids sat down next to Rosemary on the settee and each took a brownie. Rosie went to stop them, but she decided that would be selfish and to let them both have at least one. Though she made sure she ate the last one, “Mommy, can we go play dolls?”  
Rosemary smiled and ruffled Lilly’s hair, “Absolutely, Lilly Bug.”  
Aaron glanced over at Lee, “Please don’t make me play dolls, Daddy.”  
“Tell you what, Buddy? I have to stop by the mill to make sure everything can be up and running again after New Year’s. Do you want to come with me?” Aaron nodded eagerly, “Alright then,” he helped Aaron with his coat and then put on his own. Lee kissed Rosemary and Lilly on the cheeks, “Have fun playing dolls.”  
“Bye Daddy!” Lilly waved happily.  
“Be careful you two,” Rosemary waved as well.  
******************************************************************************  
Gowen and Harry had been slowly making their way back to Hope Valley and at this point in the journey, they had just reached the edge of Saskatchewan. They had conversed about a few things here and there, but overall, their trip had been pretty quiet between them. Sure, when they were back in Toronto, they had talked about childhood memories, but now that they were away from the city, they had very in little in common after thirty years. They used to be very close when they were kids, but Harry had gone into the Mounties when they were eighteen. Gowen had begun his business endeavors, and God knew it wasn’t in the most ethical ways. Gowen finally couldn’t take the silence anymore and said, “You know, Hope Valley is having fireworks on New Year’s Eve if you want to stay,” Harry nodded upon obtaining the information, but didn’t say anything, so Gowen continued, “I’ve made so many mistakes, Harry. I damaged so many relationships because of my motivations for power and greed. I can’t change the past, but one thing I’ve learned during my years in Hope Valley is that family and community are important and that they’ll always be there for you, no matter what you’ve done and no matter the circumstances. I know we both have much different lives and obligations, but these past several days have made me realize, I’d like to make an effort to keep in touch more often.”  
Harry smiled, and Gowen could tell the smile was genuine, “I’d really like that too,” they stayed silent for a few moments longer before Harry said, “Count me in for the Hope Valley New Year’s celebration.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author's Note: These next few chapters will take place on New Year's Eve.

The morning of New Year’s Eve arrived, the final day of 1919. Unfortunately due to the blizzard, many people had to work in the morning, so Jack, Lee, Bill, and a few others woke up bright and early so they would be ready for the celebration later that evening. Elizabeth, Molly, Dottie, and Florence spent the morning finishing up the decorations while Abigail, Cat, and Clara cooked much of the food. Jesse, Hickam, and Murphy were making sure the area in the field was safe for the fireworks. Most of the children were helping their parents with certain tasks minus Lilly and Aaron Coulter. Rosemary had decided to take Elizabeth’s advice and let the kids accompany her to her doctor’s appointment that day in hopes of getting them more excited about the arrival of baby Coulter. It had seemed to work too as Carson explained all the different tests he was performing and what the different medical instruments did. He also let them listen to their mother’s abdomen, though he knew two young children would never be able to hear the baby’s heartbeat.  
“I don’t hear anything,” said Lilly, wrinkling her face as she listened through the stethoscope.  
“Maybe that’s because you’re talking so much,” Aaron said.  
“Lillian, Aaron,” warned Rosemary from her position flat on the exam table.  
“That’s okay. They probably won’t be able to hear it right now. I really have to concentrate to find it,” said Carson, “Aaron, do you want to take a listen?”  
Aaron nodded and Lilly hopped off the step-stool, “I’m telling you, all you hear is Mommy’s gurgling tummy.” Aaron took a listen but Lilly had been right; he couldn’t hear anything significant.  
Carson went to check Rosemary’s abdomen and asked, “Is it okay if they?” he motioned his head towards the children. Rosemary nodded her consent and he invited them to put their hands on her abdomen.  
“Be gentle,” Rosemary cautioned lightly.  
Carson placed Lilly and Aaron’s hands on the lower part of Rosemary’s abdomen, where it was noticeably firmer, “Feel that firmer area right there?” asked Carson. Lilly and Aaron nodded in affirmation, “That’s where the baby is growing in your Mommy’s tummy.”  
Aaron’s eyes lit up and Lilly grinned from ear to ear, “Really?” asked Aaron excitedly. Carson nodded.  
“So we grew in there too, Mommy?” asked Lilly.  
“You both certainly did,” she patted both of their heads.  
Carson helped Rosemary sit up and then looked at the Coulter children, “Lilly, Aaron, would you go wait out front with Nurse Cantrell? I have to talk to your Mommy about a few things.”  
“Okay,” said Lilly. She took Aaron’s hand and left the room.  
Rosemary looked at Carson worriedly, “Is something wrong?” she questioned worriedly, a hand protectively covering her abdomen.  
“No, no,” assured Carson, “You still have fatigue and nausea and your bust and your abdomen are growing, which means the baby is growing properly. I just wanted to mention a few things to you and I figured you wouldn’t want your kids in the room,” Rosemary swallowed thickly but nodded in agreement. Being that she was 36 and would be 37 next June, she had the feeling she knew what Carson wanted to discuss, “Rest assured Mrs. Coulter, most women over 35 deliver perfectly healthy babies, but there is an increased risk of complications. So, if you experience any sort of abnormal bleeding or feel something is off in any way, don’t hesitate to see me. Okay?”  
Rosemary fought back a few tears and gave a small smile, “Anything to make sure the baby is okay.”  
“Alright then,” said Carson, “Make sure you eat a balanced diet,” Rosemary went to speak, but Carson stopped her, “I know right now it’s difficult with the morning sickness, and at this point, eat whatever you can keep down. And I know cravings can be very demanding, but later on in the pregnancy, you need to get plenty of nutrients for the baby, so only try to indulge in any sweet craving occasionally. Also, try to get plenty of exercise, but a good walk should do it. Let Lee cover chasing the kids around,” Rosemary laughed lightly and Carson laid a hand on her shoulder, “I promise you, Rosemary, these are all just precautions, but I do recommend coming for check-ups once every other week instead of once a month, just so we can keep on top of things.”  
“Okay,” Rosemary whispered softly, only somewhat relieved, “Thank you, Dr. Shepherd. And also, thanks for letting Lilly and Aaron tag along. I think it helped them get more used to the idea of having a new little brother or sister.”  
“It’s no problem,” said Carson.  
Rosemary went into the lobby where her kids were impatiently waiting for her. They stood upon seeing her and Lilly asked, “Mommy, can we stop by Aunt Abigail’s for lunch?”  
Rosemary’s stomach churned at the thought of food right now, but she hoped it was just from nerves and not another bout of morning sickness. She didn’t want to upset Lilly, but she figured it was better to be safe than sorry, so she crouched down in front of Lilly and said, “Tell you what, Lilly Bug? Mommy’s tummy feels a little upset right now so how about we go home for lunch so I can rest and we can have a special dinner with Daddy at Aunt Abigail’s. How’s that sound?” Rosemary braced herself for a tantrum.  
Lilly’s lips quivered but she nodded in agreement, “Alright Mommy.”  
Rosemary’s eyes widened in surprise but she smiled, “Good,” she sighed in relief. She grabbed both of their hands to lead them home, hoping to squeeze in a nap for herself and possibly Lilly and Aaron since they would all be staying up until past midnight. She figured they all could use one even though the kids hadn’t taken naps since they were toddlers. She also figured Lilly would give her hassle, but it would still be worth a shot.  
******************************************************************************  
Later that afternoon, the men were setting up the tables and the fireworks for later when Gowen and Harry arrived back in Hope Valley. Most everyone didn’t quite know what to think when they saw both men approach them, but thankfully Gowen was the first to speak, “I know, we’re not the best of friends, but I figured I’d take this time to introduce you all to someone. Everyone, this is my cousin, Constable Harold Stonewall. Harry, this is Leland Coulter, our saw mill owner, Mike Hickam, Jesse Flynn, Shane Cantrell, and Murphy McBride, they work at the mill, Carson Shepherd, our town doctor, Frank Hogan, our pastor, and you said you met Constable Thornton.”  
“Oh please, sir, call me Lee,” Lee shook his hand and Harry shook everyone else’s hands as well.  
“So, how was your Christmas?” asked Frank.  
“It was good, an unexpected surprise, but I think it was a good surprise,” admitted Gowen.  
“Well glad to hear,” said Jack.  
“Hey, I’m sorry to leave you all hanging, but I have to get home to Rosie. She should be done at the infirmary by now,” said Lee.  
Infirmary? Is something wrong?” asked Gowen, a hint of concern creeping into his usually stern voice.  
“No sir, we have a new little Coulter on the way,” said Lee, a broad smile spreading across his face.  
Gowen couldn’t help but feel joy for the expectant parents, “Well congratulations, Lee.”  
“Thank you, sir. See you all tonight!” Lee waved.  
“Bye Lee!” they all shouted with a few ‘Mr. Coulter’s’ thrown into the mix.  
“So, is there anything I can help with?” asked Harry.  
“Well, I think Shane and Murphy could use some help over there,” Jack pointed to the pair. Harry nodded and went to help. Gowen came up beside Jack and Jack looked at him and asked, “So, he’s your cousin?”  
Gowen nodded, “Yes, he served with your father many years ago. He recently retired a few years ago, I believe.”  
“Well, I can’t say for sure, but it looks like he’s enjoyed reconnecting with you,” said Jack.  
Gowen glanced over at Harry, “Yeah. I have too.”  
******************************************************************************  
Once Lee arrived home, he could’ve heard a pin drop in the house, which was a rarity in the Coulter residence. He went upstairs and found both doors closed, so he quietly opened the one to the master bedroom and found Rosie fast asleep. He quietly crawled into bed next to her and kissed her temple. She stirred when she felt the bed move and blinked her eyes open, “Hi,” she smiled.  
“Hi,” Lee smiled back, “How did the appointment go?”  
Rosemary sighed apprehensively, “Alright. Dr. Shepherd said that based on my symptoms, bosom growth, and abdominal growth that everything is progressing as it should and the baby is growing properly. And he was able to find a faint heartbeat.”  
“Good,” said Lee relieved, “So did the kids enjoy it?”  
Rosemary nodded, “As much as they could, but I think it’ll be better once they can see a bump, hear a heartbeat, and feel the baby kick.”  
Lee smiled as his hand drifted down to her abdomen. It was noticeably rounder when she didn’t have her corset on, but still only had a slight bulge. He glanced over at Rosemary and he could tell she was hiding something, “Rosie?” he questioned, stroking the bump lovingly, “What else happened?”  
Rosemary’s breath shook nervously, “Just, he wants to monitor me more often since we’re both older and the risk of something going wrong increases with age. For me and the baby,” she held back a few tears.  
“Rosie,” Lee grabbed her hand with the one not currently on her belly, “You and the baby will be fine,” he soothed.  
“And what if we’re not?” she asked.  
Lee kissed her temple again and she cuddled next to him. He ran his hand up and down her back and said, “Then we’ll get through it the way we always do. Together.”


	20. Chapter 20

It was getting closer to midnight and Rosemary and Lee took the kids to Abigail’s for dinner, just as she had promised Lillian earlier. Of course, being the town mayor, Abigail and Frank were making sure the final touches were perfect for New Year’s Eve, so Clara and Bill were looking over things at the café. Once Bill had taken their orders, Rosemary noticed Clara clearing some dishes, the piece of jewelry on her left ring finger reminding Rosemary of Jesse and Clara’s upcoming nuptials, ”Lee, sweetheart, if Bill comes back, I’d like a refill on my ginger tea,” Rosemary demanded to her husband, “I’m going to go talk to Clara for a brief second.”  
“Rosie, I really think Clara…” started Lee, but Rosemary hadn’t heard a word he had said, “And there she goes again.”   
“Daddy, why does Mommy like being nosy?” asked Aaron as he took a bite of his hamburger.  
“Well, that’s just the way Mommy is. She was that way even when we were courting,” explained Lee.  
“How come Mommy yells at me when I’m being nosy but she’s allowed to be nosy?” asked a perturbed Lilly, attempting to get more spaghetti onto her fork.  
“Because grown-ups are allowed to do things kids aren’t allowed to do,” said Lee. He really didn’t like Rosemary being a busy body who stuck her nose in everyone’s business either, but he had learned after eight and half years of marriage nothing stopped a determined Rosemary once her mind was made up about something, “Now eat your dinner, both of you.”  
Rosemary walked over to Clara and Clara glanced up at her with a worried look, “Rosemary, is something wrong with the food?”  
“No, everything’s great as usual,” assured Rosemary, “I promise you, if anything smells funny to me right now, it’s because my sense of smell is stronger than a basset hound’s.”  
“Oh good,” said Clara relieved, “Then what do you need?”  
“Listen, I know my pregnancy announcement probably took away from some of your limelight on Christmas and I wanted to wish you congratulations on your engagement,” smiled Rosemary.  
Clara nodded her appreciation, “Thank you,” she smiled, though she still felt Rosemary had some sort of underlying motive.   
“And I just wanted to let you know, if you or Jesse need any help with the wedding planning, I’ll be happy to help.”  
“Oh Rosie, that’s quite alright…”  
“Nonsense. I helped plan Frank and Abigail’s wedding AND Faith and Shane’s wedding,” said Rosemary.  
“Yes, but you weren’t pregnant either time if I remember correctly, were you?” asked Clara, “Jesse and I were looking at a June or July wedding. Didn’t you mention you’d be near due then?”   
“Yes, I am. But actually, I was pregnant with Lilly the entire time I was planning the Hogan’s wedding,” said Rosemary, “Gave birth to her a month before the wedding and still threw a successful extravaganza!” she proclaimed proudly, “And if I could plan the pastor and mayor’s wedding AND prepare for new motherhood, this will be a piece of cake. Speaking of, a piece of chocolate cherry cake sounds wonderful right now. Would you or Mr. Avery go get one for me?”  
Clara took a deep breath, “Sure,” she answered.  
Rosemary turned to go back to her table but faced Clara again, “Oh and bring something for the kids. I don’t care what.”  
“Of course, Rosie,” said Clara. Rosemary went back to her family and Clara chuckled to herself. Even in the midst of preparing for a new baby, absolutely nothing would stop Rosemary Coulter from taking over the planning for a celebration in Hope Valley.   
******************************************************************************  
Finally, it was half an hour until midnight and the town celebration was in full swing. There were a few games for everyone to enjoy and a table full of sweets for sale where the money made was going to benefit the local children’s hospital. As soon as Clara had closed up at the café, she found Jesse playing one of the ring toss games waiting on her, “Need someone to celebrate the New Year?” she wrapped her hands around his arm.  
Jesse turned around when he felt his fiancée touch his arm and he kissed her temple, “I had a particular girl in mind and that was my fiancée,” he joked, “I’m sorry, but I’m engaged.”  
Clara chuckled and laid her head on his shoulder until another thought hit her, “Oh Jesse?”  
“Hm?” he asked, concentrating on the game in front of him.  
Clara took a deep breath, “The Coulters had dinner at the café tonight and let’s just say Rosemary is very….eager about the wedding.”  
Jesse scowled, “Doesn’t she have enough on her mind with the new baby on the way?”  
“It’s Rosemary,” established Clara, “I don’t want to hurt her feelings, Jesse, especially with her hormones all out of whack right now.”  
Jesse sighed but said, “I’ll talk to Mr. Coulter and see if he can calm her down some.”  
Clara nodded. It was worth a shot.   
Harry and Gowen were enjoying some of the desserts when Frank and Abigail walked by, “Oh Abigail, there’s someone I’d like you both to meet,” the husband and wife walked over to the two cousins, “Well, Pastor, you both met each other earlier, Abigail, this is my cousin, Constable Harold Stonewall. Harry, this is our mayor and café owner, Abigail Hogan.”  
“Oh please, ma’am, call me Harry,” he shook Abigail’s hand, “So you’re the famous Abigail I heard about and kept in touch with us over Christmas.”  
“Yes Harry,” she confirmed, “And Abigail is fine with me,” she looked at the time, “Oh goodness, it’s almost midnight. We have to make our speeches,” she motioned her husband towards the platform, “It was nice meeting you,” she said to Harry.  
“You too,” said Harry.   
Frank and Abigail stepped up onto the platform, “If I could get everyone’s attention,” Frank announced. Everyone turned towards their pastor and their mayor, “Well another year has ended in Hope Valley and what a year it has been! We all had so many new adventures, as couples, as families, as a town, and as a community. Next year, we get to celebrate the joining of two lives as one,” he motioned towards Jesse and Clara, “A family come together,” he motioned towards Shane, Faith, and Phillip, “And also, we will welcome a new resident to Hope Valley,” he nodded towards the Coulters. Lee squeezed Rosemary’s hand and she rubbed her abdomen soothingly with her other one, “There will be joy, but there will also be sorrow, because that’s just a part of life. But 1919 was great. Let’s make 1920 even better!”   
Everyone cheered loudly as Abigail declared, “Alright everyone, we have one minute until midnight,” all the families and townspeople gathered their noise makers before Abigail began to countdown, “TEN, NINE, EIGHT, SEVEN, SIX, FIVE, FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE, HAPY NEW YEAR!” everyone shouted.  
Couples kissed and others embraced each other in glee. Jack gazed into Elizabeth’s eyes and smiled, “Happy New Year, Elizabeth. Here’s to a great 1920.”  
“Happy New Year, Jack,” she smiled and kissed her husband.  
“Us too!” Mary and Charlotte shouted, reaching up towards their parents.  
Jack and Elizabeth chuckled as Jack scooped them into his arms, “Happy New Year, girls.”  
“Happy New Year, Daddy!” they said happily.  
William embraced Elizabeth and she kissed William’s temple, “Happy New Year, sweetheart.”  
“Well, this will be an exciting year, huh Madame Coulter?” asked Lee to Rosemary.  
Rosemary smiled and grabbed his hand. She placed both of them over their baby and said, “It most certainly will,” she kissed him, “Happy New Year, sweetheart.”  
Lee leaned down and kissed her belly, “We all look forward to meeting you this year, little one.”   
Aaron leaned closer to Lilly and asked, “Lilly?”  
“What?” asked Lilly, turning to her brother.  
“Can you teach me something this year? Something you already know how to do,” asked Aaron.  
“Well, there are a lot of things I know how to do. What is it?” asked Lilly.  
“How to be a big brother,” said Aaron softly.   
“Oh Aaron!” Lilly threw her arms around Aaron, much to his dismay, “Of course I’ll teach you how to be a big brother!”  
“No hugs!” whined Aaron. She started kissing his cheeks just to annoy him, “No kisses either!”   
Shane kissed Faith and then bent down to hug Phillip, “Happy New Year, Buddy!”  
“Happy New Year, Daddy,” he smiled. He turned to Faith and she smiled nervously. He held out his arms towards her and asked, “Do I get a kiss too, Mommy?”  
Faith breathed a sigh of relief and kissed his forehead, “Of course, sweet boy.”  
“Just think, at this time next year, you will no longer be Mrs. Clara Stanton, but Mrs. Clara Flynn,” smiled Jesse, stroking her cheek.  
Clara sighed nervously. She missed Peter every day, and though she sometimes did wake up and feel cheated out of the life she was supposed to have with him, she couldn’t wait to begin her new life with Jesse in the coming year, “Yeah, I will.”  
Harry and Gowen happily embraced each other and Harry sighed, “Well, now that the snow is clearing out, I really do have to get back to Toronto, but maybe we can catch up again sometime?”  
Gowen smiled and nodded, “I’d like that. Maybe you could spend Christmas in Hope Valley this year.”  
Harry chuckled, “Well, we’ll see. But that is now a whole year away.”  
Frank and Abigail quietly stepped off the podium hand in hand and went to hug Cody and Becky, “Happy New Year, Mom. Happy New Year, Dad,” Cody hugged them both, “I love you.”  
“I love you too, honey,” Abigail kissed her son, “Love you, Becky.”  
“You too, Mom,” Becky smiled.  
Frank wrapped his arms around his wife, “Happy New Year, Mrs. Hogan. Here’s to a new year of adventures together.”  
“Happy New Year, sweetheart,” she smiled and kissed him passionately before they went to join the town in welcoming the year 1920.


	21. Chapter 21

The following Monday, Elizabeth practically skipped to school with glee over her new project for the children, so much to the point that William was having trouble keeping up with her, “Mommy, slow down!”  
Elizabeth stopped suddenly and let William catch up to her, “Sorry, honey. I’m just excited,” all of the other parents in town knew about the project; Elizabeth had cleared it with them to make sure it would be okay for the children to pursue and everyone had agreed. When Elizabeth and William arrived at the church, Elizabeth went inside and set her things down on her desk before she grabbed her cow bell. She stepped back outside and rang it loudly for the children to hear. All of the students scurried inside and took their seats, “Good morning boys and girls!” she exclaimed.  
“Good morning, Mrs. Thornton,” they all chorused back.   
Elizabeth went to the front of the room as the children obtained their writing utensils. Elizabeth picked up her chalk and wrote the word ‘Family’ on the board. She turned back around to face everyone and asked, “What comes to mind when you think of the word ‘family’?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Love,” said Opal.  
“Mommies and daddies,” said Anna.  
“Brothers and sisters,” replied Laura.  
“Grandparents!” exclaimed Cody.   
Elizabeth chuckled at the children’s answers, “Yes all of those things make up a family, but there are many different types of families. Some are big and some are small. Some mommies and daddies have lots of children and some have only a few. Some married couples don’t have children at all. All of us here have different types of families. I have two sisters and Mountie Jack has a brother. Some of us have big families and some of us have small families. Some of us are related to our parents via birth, others via adoption. Some of us have brothers, others sisters, some of us are only children. Some of your mommies and daddies have completed their families and a few of us are getting a new baby brother or sister. But, no matter what type of family you have, it’s still your family. So, for your next assignment, I would like everyone to find out more about your family and then make a family tree,” instructed Elizabeth.  
Rosaleen raised her hand, “Mrs. Thornton, what’s a family tree?”  
“A family tree is a diagram that shows all of the different family members you have through as many generations as you can find. For example,” Elizabeth wrote her name on the board and then drew a line. She wrote Jack’s name next to it, “I am married to Mountie Jack and together,” she drew three more lines and wrote William, Mary, and Charlotte’s names underneath, “We have three children. On my side of the family,” she drew a few more lines and wrote her parents’ and sisters’ names on the board, along with Lionel and Theodore’s names, “I have a mother, a father, two sisters, a brother-in-law, which means my sister’s husband, and a nephew. Do you all get the idea?”   
“Yeah,” they all answered excitedly.   
“Good. To give you time to complete this project, I will give you until Valentine’s Day before you all present your family tree in front of the class. In addition, I’d like you all to present a special story about your family. It could be anything from how your parents met to a funny or heartfelt memory you’ve had with them, but you will be reading that to the class as well. Understand,” the children nodded, “Excellent,” Elizabeth continued her lessons for the day and passed out the directions for the family tree project before dismissing her students, “Remember everyone, you have a math test this Friday. Don’t forget to study!”   
Once William and she had put on their coats, they made their way over to Abigail’s to pick up Mary and Charlotte. Cody was waiting for her in the sitting area and stood upon seeing his teacher, “Mrs. Thornton?”  
“Go find you sisters,” she told William and he went further into the restaurant. Elizabeth crouched down in front of Cody and asked, “What is it, Cody?”  
“For the family tree project, do I include Mom and Dad?” he motioned towards Abigail and Frank then glanced down sheepishly, “Or my other Mom and Dad?”  
Elizabeth was taken aback. Cody had only been five when Abigail and Frank had adopted him and Becky, but she supposed he still had faint memories of his biological parents. She rubbed his shoulder, “You can include both if you want.”  
“Really?” asked Cody. Elizabeth nodded. Cody hugged her, “Thanks Mrs. Thornton.”  
“You’re welcome,” she embraced him back.  
“I’ll go find William and the twins for you,” he said. A few moments later, Cody came back with all three of her children.  
“HI MOMMY!” shouted the girls.  
“Hi girls,” Elizabeth hugged them, “Ready to go home and see Daddy?”  
They all nodded eagerly and made their way home. When they arrived, Jack was just getting home from the office, so he had the kids go upstairs while Elizabeth started dinner. He walked over to his wife and wrapped his arms around her, “So Mrs. Thornton, are the children excited about the new project?”  
She turned around and kissed him, “I think they are. Expect William to play fifty questions with you sometime soon.”  
“Why is that sweetheart?” asked Jack, raising an eyebrow.  
“Because, I’m sure in the eyes of an eight year old boy, being a Mountie is much more interesting than being a teacher,” emphasized Elizabeth.   
“Oh come on, Lizzie, reading your aunt’s journals is what inspired you to become a teacher,” said Jack.  
“But again, I wasn’t an eight year old _boy_ ,” she laughed lightly.  
Jack chucked, “Okay, I’ll make sure I have some stories ready,” he planted another kiss to her cheek, “I’m going to go change. Love you.”  
“Love you too.”  
******************************************************************************  
Rosemary was at the dining room table helping her kids with their spelling homework while trying hard to stay awake. She had had too much laundry backed up to be able to squeeze in an afternoon nap before the kids got home. With the fact that she could barely keep her eyes open and also that she swore her stomach was starting to do somersaults, she was hoping to pass the kids off to Lee for dinner at Abigail’s, though it seemed as though he was going to be working late tonight. Lilly and Aaron closed their books once they were finished and Lilly looked up at Rosemary, “Mommy, are we eating dinner soon?”  
Rosemary nodded, “Yeah, it looks like Daddy’s going to be working late tonight.”  
“Why?” asked Aaron.  
“Probably starting preparations for our new house,” answered Rosemary. At least, that’s what she assumed. Lee hadn’t told her he’d be late tonight, “Now what do you guys want for dinner?”  
“Can we have mac and cheese?” asked Aaron hopefully and Lilly nodded eagerly in agreement.   
Rosemary’s stomach went from doing mild somersaults to violent back flips, “Of course sweetheart,” she swallowed thickly, though it didn’t stop Lilly and Aaron from noticing a change in their mother.  
“Are you alright, Mommy?” asked Aaron worriedly.  
“You look like you’ve seen something really scary,” stated Lilly.  
Rosemary knew she would never make it upstairs and she didn’t want to start vomiting in front of her kids, so she ran outside as fast as she could before she leaned over the side of the porch and upended the contents of her stomach, which wasn’t much other than crackers and some toast. She soon felt a hand running up and down her back and the other holding her hair back while she vomited. Once she was done, she turned around expecting to find Lee standing behind her, only to find Jack, “JACK!” she shouted, the hand on her abdomen flying to her chest, “How did you…? Oh dear, this is so embarrassing.”  
“Rosie, it’s okay. I’ve dealt with my fair share of watching my wife go through morning sickness,” said Jack.   
Rosemary sighed, not entirely relieved, “Well, I better get back inside and make the kids dinner,” Rosemary stopped, “In a minute,” she leaned over the side again.  
Elizabeth ran out with a bucket and asked, “Do you need us to take the kids for now?”  
“Yes, take them! Please!” begged Rosemary.  
Jack nodded and went inside the Coulter house where Lilly and Aaron had their eyes covered, “Mommy, can we open our eyes yet?” asked Lilly.  
Jack chuckled, “Yes, Lilly, you can open your eyes.”  
They both hesitantly opened their eyes and smiled when they saw their Godfather, “Uncle Jack!” they ran to hug him.  
“Hey guys! Listen, change of plans. You both are having dinner at our house while Mommy rests. Okay?” asked Jack.  
They nodded and followed Jack past Rosemary, both covering their eyes again, “Uncle Jack, is Mommy going to be like this for the rest of the time she has the baby in her belly?” asked Aaron.  
Jack shook his head, “It shouldn’t last too much longer, Aaron. In a few weeks, she will start to feel less tired.”  
“And not be getting sick all the time?” asked Lilly, her face the picture of disgust.  
“No,” Jack chuckled at the young girl, “Hey honey!”   
Elizabeth turned around and smiled at her husband and Godchildren,” “Hey guys,” she hugged them.  
“Aunt Elizabeth, it’s not fun watching Mommy get sick all the time,” said Aaron.  
“I know, honey, but it shouldn’t last too much longer. Now we’re having mac and cheese for dinner tonight. Is that alright?”  
Lilly perked up, “It’s like you read my mind!” she ran to the table.   
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after she had put the kids to bed and managed to choke down an apple with some peanut butter for dinner, Rosemary started getting herself ready for bed when she heard the front door open, _“Finally,”_ she thought. Lee came up the stairs and looked into the bedroom, only to find it empty. He went into the bathroom where Rosemary was brushing her hair. He kissed her cheek and said, “Sorry, I’m late. How are you? How was your night?”  
“Well, let’s see. I spent my night puking in front of our kids and was so sick to the point where I had to have Jack and Elizabeth feed them dinner, I’ve barely had more than an apple that’s stayed down all day, and I spent the entire night wondering where my husband was and worrying about him. I’m fine. It was a great night!” she said sarcastically.   
Lee took a deep breath. Mood swing. Nothing unexpected as she had dealt with mood swings during her other pregnancies, but also a sign to tread lightly, “Are the kids fine? Are they asleep?”  
“Yes, they’re fine. A little grossed out, but they’ll live. And they’ve been asleep for two hours,” said Rosemary bitterly.  
Lee sighed, feeling slightly guilty for upsetting his wife so much, “Honey, I’m so sorry for being so late. I expected to be home by dinnertime, but with organizing the lumber for our house and the Thornton house, plus two deals in Winnipeg and one in Vancouver, and closing out finances for 1919, I lost track of time.”  
“You don’t need to explain yourself. I know you’re busy,” she answered stoically, “And it was probably my fault for doing that stupid laundry instead of taking a nap and having a cup of ginger or peppermint tea like I’ve been doing every afternoon.”  
“But still, I’m sorry,” he attempted to hug her and kiss her.  
“No, honey, not right now. I’m gross,” she pulled away from him and went to leave the bathroom and said, “Try not to take as long getting ready for bed as you did getting home!”  
Lee sighed and leaned against the sink, “Okay then.”


	22. Chapter 22

Lee woke up early the next morning and rolled over to find Rosemary still fast asleep. He figured she needed the rest, so he didn’t bother to wake her as he went to bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. When he returned, Rosemary was just waking up and stretching. She smiled when her eyes landed on her husband, “Good morning,” she said softly.  
“Morning,” he smiled and kissed her temple, “How are you feeling?”  
“Alright,” she sighed, “Listen, about last night, I’m sorry I yelled at you. I was just tired, I felt really sick to my stomach, I had an atrocious headache, and I was worried about you. I really couldn’t take it out on the kids, so I took it out on you and I shouldn’t have.”  
“Mm,” said Lee and kissed her again, “You’re forgiven. Plus I knew it wasn’t really you yelling at me.”  
Rosemary teared up and smiled, “So you know when it’s me and when it’s…?”  
“The hormones? Yeah, I can tell the difference,” Lee chuckled, “But I’m also sorry for not coming home sooner. I should’ve kept track of the time better or at least tried to let you know I’d be at the mill later. I know you’re at peak of the fatigue and nausea and that it’s tough for you to take care of two kids and deal with the pregnancy. Do you have it in you to forgive me?” he asked cutely.  
Rosemary shook with laughter and kissed him, “Always.”  
They both heard the kids pattering around their room and the bathroom and Rosemary whimpered a little, “Tell you what? In order to make up my blunder last night to you, how about I let you sleep a little longer while I get the kids ready for school? Then after they’re ready, we can spend the morning together,” said Lee.  
Rosemary opened one eye and said, “But you have to work. And I’m not really up for that sort of thing yet.”  
“No, I know that,” said Lee, though he did sound a tad disappointed, “But one of the good things about being the boss is I make my own hours. Plus staying until quarter to ten last night, I got a lot done. So, Mrs. Coulter, how does a morning of breakfast in bed and relaxation sound?”  
Rosemary sighed elatedly, “Sounds wonderful. How about French toast, maple syrup, and peppermint tea. No eggs or any greasy breakfast meats,” she smirked.  
“As you wish,” he patted her shoulder. He went to leave, but hastily turned back around, “The kids’ lunches…”  
“Aaron likes a ham and cheese sandwich with an apple and orange juice. Lilly always takes a peanut butter and _strawberry_ jelly sandwich with carrot sticks and chocolate milk,” explained Rosemary.  
“Thanks,” said Lee.  
******************************************************************************  
Over the next several weeks, the town children focused on their family tree projects while their parents helped them research their family histories. The following weeks also brought an end to Rosemary’s extreme lethargy and her morning sickness decreased significantly, much to her relief; as a result, she was more than willing to balance motherhood, the kids’ school project, incoming Valentine’s Day orders at the dress shop, and the beginning plans of Clara and Jesse’s wedding. Most of the snow from the post-Christmas blizzard had melted and the ground wasn’t as muddy, so Jack and Lee along with several men at the saw mill had begun construction on their new houses. Luckily for Lee and Rosemary, Aaron had become more accepting of the idea of moving into a new house, especially when he also found out he would be getting his own room. He had also said something about having two bathrooms, one for him and Lee and one for Rosemary and Lilly, since his exact words had been, “Mommy and Lilly spend way too much time taking up the bathroom to get ready in the morning.” Fortunately, Rosemary had convinced him they didn’t need a second one and that he could get ready before Lilly while Mommy and Daddy took care of the baby.  
It was now a little over a week before Valentine’s Day and many Hope Valley residents were busy planning a special day for their spouses and children. Business had picked up at the dress shop with the influx of orders for Valentine’s Day, so Dottie was grateful that Rosemary could pick up more shifts now that she had started her second trimester. Dottie went back to get some more thread for one dress she was making when she couldn’t find the color she was looking for at the moment, “Rosie?” she called.  
“Yeah?” Rosemary asked.  
“Where is the magenta thread? It’s not alphabetically under ‘M’. In fact, none of the thread seems to be in alphabetical order,” she observed.  
Rosemary stood from her place at the sewing machine and went to the back room, her growing baby bump very distinguishable, at least when she was standing, “That’s because the thread is no longer in alphabetical order,” explained Rosemary.  
“I beg your pardon?” questioned Dottie.  
“I reorganized all of the thread. The old way was getting a little boring, so I organized it by hue, then by shade, darkest to lightest, so magenta is now under the reds, and…” Rosemary skimmed the threads and pulled out the magenta one, “I mean seriously, if we’re working on say, a blue dress, all of the shades of blue are in one spot,” Rosemary walked out of the room and went back to her sewing machine.  
Dottie decided to bite her tongue, as Rosemary’s reorganization did make some sense. Dottie went to grab some more silk, but noticed the fabrics had also been rearranged from their previous pattern of most to least used, “Rosie?” Dottie called through gritted teeth. Rosemary reappeared with a broad smile on her face, “The fabric?” gestured Dottie.  
“Oh I readjusted that too this morning before you arrived,” said Rosemary.  
“Of course you did,” whispered Dottie under her breath.  
“What was that?” asked Rosemary curiously.  
“Nothing, Rosemary,” said Dottie politely, “How have you moved the fabric?”  
“From thickest to thinnest,” explained Rosemary, “So silk should be towards the thinner fabrics.”  
Rosemary left the room once again and Dottie huffed in frustration. One thing she never missed about a pregnant Rosemary was her dear friend’s need to change everything in the shop.  
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after school had ended, Elizabeth had taken William home before she had gone to pick up some groceries from the mercantile. When she arrived, all three of her children were sitting on the couch while Jack was animatedly telling them a story, “And that kids, is how Daddy rescued Mommy and Aunt Julie from the Tolliver Gang,” he stated proudly.  
“Are you telling them one of your heroic Mountie stories again?” asked Elizabeth jokingly.  
“I’m just helping William with his homework, Mrs. Thornton,” Jack smirked.  
“Well, we’re having spaghetti for dinner tonight, so it shouldn’t be long before it’s time to eat,” Elizabeth said. She smiled and laughed as Jack proceeded to tell more stories about his job, from his days in training to his time in the Northern Territories, or at least the more child-friendly ones. Elizabeth’s heart was satisfied with comfort, as she had the feeling this particular project would bring all of the Hope Valley families closer together.  
******************************************************************************  
Meanwhile, next door, Rosemary was cooking dinner while describing her Broadway days to her children, though Lilly was much more invested than Aaron was. Lee walked into the house and Rosemary was so wrapped up in her current story that she didn’t even notice her husband enter the room. He quietly took a seat next to Aaron, who looked bored out of his squash compared to Lilly, who looked as if she was vicariously living in some sort of fantasy world through her mother, “I liked it better when Mommy was tired all the time,” Aaron whispered to Lee. Lee chuckled and rubbed his son’s head.  
After about another two minutes, Rosemary finally turned around and noticed her husband was home, “Lee, how long have you been home?”  
“For about five minutes,” answered Lee.  
“Oh dear,” said Rosemary, “Well, dinner’s almost ready.”  
“Kids, go wash up for dinner,” Lee ushered the kids upstairs.  
“Mommy, can you tell us another story about your time on Broadway before bed?” asked Lilly hopefully.  
Rosemary was just about to happily accept until Lee stopped her, “We’ll see how Mommy feels, Little Flower.”  
Lilly pouted a little, but didn’t say anything as she stomped up the stairs. Rosemary turned around to face Lee and asked, “What was that for? I’ve been feeling much better lately.”  
“I know you have,” said Lee, a hand drifting towards her fourteen-week swell. He rubbed the small protrusion in her abdomen gently. He kissed her and knelt down to kiss her belly, “So how was your day?”  
“Well, a lot better since I’m past most of the morning sickness and the fatigue. Now, I have so much energy, I don’t know what to do with myself,” she said agitatedly.  
“Well, make sure you don’t expel all of that energy all of the time. You are still growing our child,” reminded Lee. He squeezed her hips, “But I’m glad you’re feeling better.”  
“Mommy, why aren’t our toy boxes by our dressers?” asked Aaron from the top of the stairs.  
“Oh, by the way, I’ve been doing a little reorganizing in my spare time. That’s because I moved them sweetheart!” she called and went to go upstairs, “Oh honey, could you take the chicken out of the oven in about two minutes while I show the kids how their toys are arranged?”  
“Sure,” sighed Lee.  
“Thanks sweetheart,” she kissed his cheek and disappeared.  
Lee sighed and pulled the chicken out of the oven. Onto the second trimester.


	23. Chapter 23

It was nearing Valentine’s Day in Hope Valley and the students would be presenting their family tree projects the following Monday so all of the children were working hard to complete their projects in a timely manner. Both the children and their parents were enjoying the project very much. William, of course, had chosen to write his story about the time Jack had saved Elizabeth and Julie from the Tolliver gang, Rosaleen wrote about bringing her Daddy lunch every day, Cody and Becky both wrote about their adoption story, and Phillip had wrote about moving to Hope Valley with Shane. Lilly had chosen to write about Rosemary’s time on Broadway, but Aaron had yet to find something he wanted to tell the class.  
The day before Valentine’s Day, Lee had spent most of the morning working on construction of the new house, so he decided to work on paperwork after lunch (a task he despised doing, but it was a necessary evil of the job). When he arrived back at his office, it somehow seemed…different. It was…cleaner and more…organized. He was not a naturally neat person and his office was usually more along the lines of organized chaos, sometimes just straight up chaos. He went to find the papers for the lumber deal in Vancouver, but couldn’t find them anywhere, “Where is that paperwork?” he whispered to himself. Jesse walked by his office and Lee called out to him, “Hey Jesse!”  
Jesse entered Lee’s office and asked, “Yes, Mr. Coulter?”  
“Did you take paperwork about that lumber deal on the new houses in Vancouver?” asked Lee, still looking everywhere on his desk for them.  
“No sir, I haven’t touched anything. Um, Mrs. Coulter was by earlier today,” informed Jesse.  
Lee bolted his head up, “Rosie? What was she here for?”  
“Uh, she dropped off requests for you. One was something about having a playroom for the kids in the new house, the other thing was about building a cradle instead of a bassinet for the baby,” explained Jesse.  
“Oh,” said Lee. He looked around at how everything was rearranged. Of course, Rosemary was the culprit, “Thanks Jesse.”  
“No problem, sir,” said Jesse. He went to leave but turned back around to face his boss, “Sir?” Lee looked up again, “Can I talk to you about something?”  
“Sure, about what?” asked Lee, giving Jesse his full attention.  
“It’s about Mrs. Coulter, sir,” uttered Jesse nervously.  
Lee stood up straighter and crossed his arms over his chest, “Rosie? What about her?”  
“Well, with the wedding,” Jesse began and Lee chuckled. He had the feeling he knew where this conversation was going, “Sir, no offense to you or Mrs. Coulter, but Clara and I want a small wedding, but Mrs. Coulter…”  
“Has other ideas,” finished Lee.  
“Yeah,” Jesse chuckled lightly, “Clara and I don’t want to hurt her feelings, because we’d love her input, but we also don’t want to have this huge affair.”  
Lee nodded understandingly, “I’ll see if I can rein her in, but I can’t make any guarantees.”  
“Of course, sir, I understand,” said Jesse, “Well, I better get back to work.” He left the office.  
Lee looked around once again, “And I better find those papers.”  
******************************************************************************  
After school had let out for the day, Elizabeth and William stopped by to pick up the girls when Abigail pulled Elizabeth aside, “Elizabeth, so glad you stopped by!” she exclaimed excitedly.  
Elizabeth scowled at Abigail and said, “You’ve been watching my children for eight and a half years now. I come by every day to pick up my daughters.”  
“Right, of course,” Abigail agreed, “I’m just excited, that’s all.”  
“About what?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Well, I was wondering, since the children will be presenting their family trees on Monday, if you could have them help me and Frank with a new project?”  
“What is it about?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Ever since the storm, I can’t help but think about that homeless community by the park in downtown Calgary. I know most of the snow is gone, but we’ve still had an especially cold winter. I discussed it with Frank and he thinks it’s a good idea. I was wondering if the students could aid us in a food and clothing drive?”  
Elizabeth’s eyes lit up, “That sounds like a wonderful idea, Abigail. I’ll ask the students to bring in some food and new or gently-used clothing. Maybe even some toys for the children in that community.”  
“Thanks,” smiled Abigail, “Frank will make an announcement at services on Sunday, but I know the enthusiasm your students have for things.”  
“It’ll also be a great opportunity to learn about those less fortunate than us, especially with Lent coming up,” said Elizabeth.  
“Thanks. I knew I could count on you,” Abigail embraced Elizabeth.  
“Always,” said Elizabeth.  
“Well, I’ll go find the girls for you. They’re having a tea party in the back room,” said Abigail.  
******************************************************************************  
When Lee arrived home later that night, Rosemary, Lilly and Aaron were seated on the sofa with both family tree projects out on the coffee table. He smiled at his family, his wife absolutely glowing, even though she was starting to feel the furthest thing from beautiful right now. Lilly smiled and ran to hug Lee, “Hi Daddy!” she shouted happily as she jumped into her father’s arms.  
“Hey, Little Flower,” Lee kissed her. He placed her down on the floor and kissed Rosemary’s head, “Hi honey.”  
“Hi sweetheart. Oh, did you get the stuff I dropped off at your office?” she asked.  
Lee sighed, “Yes I did,” Rosemary beamed, “Honey, can I talk to you for a minute?”  
“Of course,” she smiled and stood, wincing a little as she did so. The one bad thing about the second trimester was the ligament pains as her baby bump grew. She smiled and followed her husband into the dining area, “What did you need to say?”  
Lee sighed hesitantly, “Listen, Rosie, you’ll have to promise me you won’t be mad at me. Or Jesse. Or Clara,” Rosemary agreed and Lee said, “Jesse told me that you’ve been very eager to help him and Clara plan their wedding.”  
“Well, of course,” smiled Rosemary proudly.  
Lee laughed lightly at his wife’s enthusiasm, “I know you love to plan very extravagant weddings and celebrations for Hope Valley, and one of the things I love about you is that you pour your heart and soul into things you’re passionate about…”  
“There’s a but, isn’t there?” asked Rosemary.  
Lee sighed and nodded, “Rosemary, they want your input since you’ve planned a lot of weddings and since you have a lot of creative talent, but they both really want a small wedding,” Lee emphasized. Rosemary took a deep breath and held back a few tears, “Rosie…”  
“No, you’re right,” she wiped away the tears, “I should probably put more concentration into this little one anyways,” she cradled her abdomen, a smile forming on her face every time she thought about the newest little Coulter joining their family, “Dr. Shepherd told me to watch my stress levels since it can increase the risk for complications.”  
Lee gave her a loving embrace and rubbed her back, “I know you’ll still help them plan a wonderful wedding.”  
“Mommy, is dinner almost ready?” asked Lilly, interrupting their romantic moment.  
The couple pulled apart and chuckled, “Yes, I’ll be pulling dinner out of the oven in a few minutes, so go wash up,” ordered Rosemary.  
After everyone had finished their dinner and cleaned the dishes, Lilly gave Rosemary her famous puppy dog eyes (the ones she knew neither of her parents had the heart to say no to) and asked, “Mommy, can we go upstairs and play while you tell me more stories about your time on Broadway?”  
“Of course, sweetheart,” she smiled, “As soon as I rearrange Daddy’s closet. Maybe you could help me with that.”  
“Oh no, that’s okay,” said Lee, stopping her.  
“I want to,” said Rosemary, “You know, nesting.”  
Lee sighed and said, “Yours and the kids’ Valentine’s Day presents are in there….” Before Lee could finish his sentence, Lilly had happily run up the stairs.  
“I better go stop her,” smirked Rosemary, following Lilly up the stairs.  
Lee sighed and said, “Yeah, they’ll both be acting surprised when they open their gifts tomorrow,” sighed Lee to himself. Lee turned to find Aaron sulking on the couch, so he walked over and sat down next to his son, “Buddy, what’s the matter?”  
“I still don’t have a good story to tell the class on Monday,” he moped, “Because I am not using one of Mommy’s Broadway stories.”  
Lee laughed and rubbed Aaron’s back, “I know Mommy tends to ramble about her time in New York, but that’s only because she’s passionate about the theater. I think it’s her biggest love after you, your sister, and me.”  
“Can I use the one about how you and Mommy met?” asked Aaron, “Or could you tell me more about what made you want to open a saw mill?”  
“Sure,” Lee nodded. He went over to the book shelf where Rosemary hadn’t bothered to put the photo albums back in the boxes and found it: that one special copy of _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_. He looked back over at Aaron and then grabbed the book off of the shelf, “Tell you what, Buddy? If you want to talk about me opening the saw mill on Monday, then you need to know the story about one very special person I liked to build things with when I was a little boy. Someone you remind me a lot of as I watch you grow.”  
Aaron took the book from Lee, though Lee knew he probably couldn’t read everything in it yet, “Daddy, who’s Patrick Coulter?” asked Aaron.  
Lee sighed sadly as he held back a few tears, “Well, Buddy, he’s my brother and your uncle.”  
“Why haven’t I met him?” asked Aaron. It stung for Lee a little bit, but his five year old son was oblivious, even more so to the fact that Patrick had been the exact same age as him when he had passed away.  
Lee started to cry a little and said, “Because he’s in Heaven, Buddy.”  
Aaron started to cry a little too; the boy always wore his heart on his sleeve. He gave Lee a big hug and said, “I’m sorry I made you cry, Daddy. I know we fight, but I can’t imagine if Lilly went to Heaven. Or at least right now.” He knew very little about death but he did know enough that everyone would go to Heaven eventually.  
“It’s okay, Buddy,” Lee rubbed Aaron’s back, “But, there is one thing Patrick really liked to do besides help me build things.”  
“What’s that?” asked Aaron.  
“He loved it when I would read to him. And this book,” Lee held up the novel in his hand, “Was his favorite.”  
“Can we go upstairs and read it, Daddy?” asked Aaron hopefully.  
“Sure,” Lee answered. Lee carried Aaron up the stairs and took him to the master bedroom since Rosemary and Lillian were currently occupying the other room. Maybe a playroom in the new house wouldn’t be a bad idea. He laid Aaron on their bed and crawled in next to him. He opened the book and started the story, “TOM!”


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> These next few chapters will be like my chapters taking place over Christmas, where I'll have different couples and families on Valentine's Day in different chapters.

Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday so everyone was able to plan their days and evenings for the actual holiday. Jack and the kids had quietly spent the morning making breakfast for Elizabeth, which was quite the challenge with an eight year old and two three year olds. The kids had helped Jack make heart-shaped pancakes, eggs, and bacon so Elizabeth could have breakfast in bed. Jack put all of their cards on the tray and carried it up the stairs, William, Mary, and Charlotte leading the way. William opened the door and tapped Elizabeth awake, “Mommy?”  
Elizabeth opened her eyes and smiled when she saw her son, “Morning sweetheart,” she sniffed the air, “Mm. What smells so good?” she asked sitting up in bed.  
“We made you breakfast,” said Charlotte excitedly.  
“Well, we tried,” said Jack, “I got the eggs right, but I did burn the bacon and the heart-shaped pancakes are a little lopsided,” he admitted.  
Elizabeth looked at the breakfast, “Well, it’s the thought that counts,” she smiled and kissed him.  
“Open the cards, Mommy!” Mary excitedly handed her mother her card. William and Charlotte did the same.  
Elizabeth grinned as she opened the cards from her children, each one reflecting their individual personalities. She opened Jack’s card last and read the message, _“My Dearest Elizabeth, I’m sorry I burned the bacon (I’m saying this in advance because I know I will). Words can’t even begin to describe how much I love you and how much you mean to me, but tonight, I certainly want to try and show you. I request the pleasure of taking you to dinner tonight at the Saloon, 7:00 PM. Happy Valentine’s Day, my sweet Elizabeth. I love you, Jack.”_  
Elizabeth looked up at Jack with tears in her eyes, “Jack, that’s so sweet, but what about these munchkins,” she rubbed all of the kids’ heads.  
“Molly Sullivan is already lined up to babysit. So what do you say, sweetheart?” asked Jack, giving her the smile that made her heart melt.  
She smiled and kissed him again, “It’s a date, Constable Thornton.”  
******************************************************************************  
Rosemary was awoken when she felt her husband’s lips on her cheek and neck, “Good morning, sweetheart. Happy Valentine’s Day,” he kissed her some more.  
“Lee,” she chuckled, playfully swatting him away, “Please stop!”  
“What? I can’t show my own wife affection on the most romantic day of the year?” he kissed her some more. He drifted down to her abdomen and kissed her swelling belly, rubbing it affectionately, “Tell Mommy she should know by now that Daddy loves Valentine’s Day just as much as she loves Christmas.”  
Rosemary couldn’t help but smile and rubbed her hand through Lee’s brunette locks, “Alright, maybe Mommy doesn’t mind the attention somewhat,” she smirked.  
Lee planted a passionate kiss to her lips before he eagerly jumped out of bed, “I’m going to go wake the kids so I can give all of you your presents. Which you and Lilly probably already know what I got you…”  
“Actually I managed to stop her before she saw it,” exclaimed Rosemary proudly, “And I didn’t look for mine!” she stated proudly, though Lee could tell she was lying. He gave her an unwavering look and she sighed, “Fine, I looked. Please don’t be mad. I promise I’ll act surprised.”  
“I’ll make a pot of coffee. Um, you can stomach coffee now, right?” he asked hesitantly. Rosemary nodded in affirmation and Lee kissed her cheek before he went down the hall, “Don’t be too perky! It’s their one day they can sleep in!” Rosemary called. She chuckled at her husband and laid a hand on her noticeable baby bump, rubbing soothing circles on top of it as she lied there feeling the fluttering in her abdomen; she hadn’t told Lee or the kids about it yet as she highly doubted they’d be able to feel it. Honestly to her, it felt like nothing more than a few gas bubbles, popcorn popping, or a butterfly moving around her tummy, but she recalled Lilly and Aaron’s early movements feeling the same way, “You know, little one, you have the best Daddy in the world. I can guarantee you he’ll melt the moment he lays eyes on you. He loves all of us so much and will do anything for us and it won’t be any different with you. Your big sister, goodness, she’s such a little sassy pants and such a big personality, so full of life and spunk, a smile that lights up the room, I wonder where she gets it from?” asked Rosemary jokingly, chuckling to herself, “Your big brother, he’s pretty shy and kind of quiet, but he’s such a caring little boy. He wears his heart on his sleeve, sweet, sensitive, always there for others, he’s very much like Daddy,” Rosemary took a deep breath and held back a few tears, “And then there’s me. I’m going to admit to you, I’m not always the most comfortable around babies and Daddy often has to help me figure out things when it comes to dealing with one. Not that you’re not wanted, you were wanted more than you can ever know. But, I’ll make mistakes, God knows I do with your big brother and sister, I’ll get frustrated, you’ll test my patience, they’ll be stressful days, sometimes I won’t have clue about what to do, but know that through all the good and the bad times, I will always and already deeply and truly love you.”  
Rosemary finally got out of bed and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth when she heard Lilly call out to her, “Mommy!”  
“Yeah?” Rosemary called back.  
“I can’t find my red plaid dress! I wanted to wear it to Mrs. Ramsey’s house today!” Lilly shouted perturbed. Lee and she had planned an early dinner date in Calgary followed by a little bit of alone time at home while the kids spent the evening with Dottie, who had promised to take them to Abigail’s for a special dinner (though Abigail and Clara had plans of their own, Bill and Carson had promised to watch over things).  
Rosemary went into her kids’ room and rooted through the closet, “Sorry, honey. I forgot to let you know I reorganized your closet yesterday afternoon,” Rosemary found the dress and handed it to Lillian, “Do you need help getting dressed?”  
“No, I’m okay,” said Lilly.  
It pained Rosemary a little to see Lillian asserting her independence some, but she knew her babies wouldn’t stay little forever, “Alright, I’ll be in my and Daddy’s room if you need me.”  
After Lilly dressed herself, she trotted downstairs where Lee had poured the kids glasses of milk and cups of coffee for himself and Rosie, “Daddy, can I ask you a question?”  
“Sure, Princess. What’s up?” asked Lee.  
“How come Mommy has been cleaning _everything_?” asked Lilly, throwing her hands up in the air emphatically, “I can never find anything!”  
Lee chuckled, but he did have to agree with Lillian. It was a tad annoying that Rosemary was rearranging everything. It had taken him ten minutes to figure out how she had reorganized the kitchen shelves in order to find the coffee, “Well Princess, that’s just because of the baby in her tummy. You know how Mama birds make nests for their babies?” Lilly nodded. Elizabeth had taught them about it in school, “Well, human mommies don’t make nests, but they do get an overwhelming instinct to clean things, rearrange furniture and closets, create the baby’s room and get ready for his or her arrival, etc. It’s called nesting. She did same thing when both you and Aaron were growing in her tummy,” explained Lee.  
“Well, can you please ask Mommy not to nest my closet every other day?” asked Lilly.  
Lee laughed again, “I’ll try, but no promises,” Rosemary came down the stairs, fully dressed, “Where’s Aaron?” he questioned.  
“He’s coming,” answered Rosie. Aaron bounced down the stairs and had all three of them sit on the settee. Aaron had received a new baseball glove, Lilly, a new bright pink dress (Dottie had helped him pick it out), and Rosemary, a special wood carving in the shape of a heart. The letters ‘L + R’ were engraved on it and the letters ‘L’ and ‘A’ were underneath them with room for the initial of the new baby. Of course, it caused Rosemary to start crying, even though she had seen it the night beforehand, “Ah don’t cry, Mommy,” said Aaron hugging her, “Daddy didn’t mean to upset you.”  
Rosemary hugged Aaron and said, “He didn’t, sweetheart. I told you both I’d be crying a lot for no reason over the next several months. Now go thank Daddy for the presents.”  
“Thank you, Daddy!” the kids said happily and ran to hug him.  
“You’re welcome guys,” he hugged them and kissed them, “Now go upstairs while I talk to Mommy.”  
They nodded and went upstairs. Rosemary stood and asked, “What is it, honey?”  
Lee enveloped her in an embrace and kissed her, “Did you like you gift?”  
Rosemary rubbed his cheek, “It’ll be perfect in the front room of the new house.”  
“Good,” Lee squeezed her shoulders, “But I’ll have to pick up my other present for you guys on the way home from dinner tonight.”  
Rosemary furrowed her brow, “Tonight? What present? Where is it?”  
“It’s in my office,” Lee whispered in her ear.  
“Why?” asked Rosemary.  
“Because I knew you’d go looking for your present as you do all the time, so I left it hidden in my office,” Rosemary was still confused. She hadn’t found anything substantial when she had cleaned that black hole Lee called his office yesterday, “But the presents the kids received today can be used for the big present. It has special place in both of our hearts, but especially yours.”  
Rosemary was still perplexed, but decided to trust her husband. She knew if she began asking questions, he’d just give his usual responses of ‘Just trust me’ or ‘It’s a surprise’ blah blah blah.  
“MOMMY! WHERE ARE MY BLACK DRESS SHOES?” they heard Lilly shout from the top of the stairs.  
“They’re under…oh, I might as well just show you,” said Rosemary going up the stairs. Lee shook with amusement.


	25. Chapter 25

Abigail and Frank had also decided to go to Calgary for Valentine’s Day, only they had chosen to attend an annual Valentine’s Day banquet instead of dinner at a restaurant. Frank had taken Abigail to this banquet on their first date way back in 1911, just a few months before William Thornton was born. Even though they went every year, nothing could be that first date for Abigail. Cody and Becky were staying behind at the café where Bill and Carson had promised to keep an eye on them. After dinner, a slow song played in the background. Frank held out his hand towards his wife and smiled, “May I have this dance?”  
Abigail grinned and took his hand as Frank led her out to the dance floor. The couple wrapped their arms around each other and Abigail whispered in Frank’s ear, “I think you know the answer to that by now, Pastor Hogan.”   
Frank chuckled lightly and squeezed her hips. They swayed back and forth in time with the music before Frank asked, “Remember what I told on this night nine years ago?”  
Abigail smiled. Of course she remembered exactly what he had said to her, but she decided to downplay her memory for fun, “It was something along the lines of how pretty I looked,” Frank laughed quietly to himself. He knew exactly what Abigail was doing, “Remind me again what I said exactly?”  
Frank tucked a lock of brown hair behind her ear and said, “You were wearing that beautiful light blue dress and I told you that you were the prettiest woman in all of Canada. And you still are to this day.”  
“Frank…”  
“What, it’s true,” stated Frank innocently, “But there are some things I didn’t tell you that night. Or any other night for that matter.”  
“Like what?” she questioned, raising her eyebrows.   
“Well, like when I first laid eyes on you, my heart whispered ‘She’s the one’. I knew the first time we saw each other that you were the woman I was going to marry. I knew I was going to win your heart, even if that meant getting hustled in darts to do so. And the first time I brought you here, I knew it was only a matter of time before you became Mrs. Abigail Hogan,” said Frank proudly.   
“Well, the following year, you did propose. And I gave you an enthusiastic yes,” said Abigail. She kissed him and smirked, “I guess I don’t have any regrets,” she joked.  
Frank chuckled as they continued to dance, “Neither do I, Mrs. Hogan, neither do I.”   
******************************************************************************  
Back in Hope Valley, Jack and Elizabeth were enjoying a pleasant evening at the saloon. The couple had thought about going further for Valentine’s Day, but they decided with three young children, plus the fact that they wanted to take a nice trip for their anniversary that year, they decided to just stay in Hope Valley. Jack couldn’t help but just stare at his beautiful girl, so Elizabeth decided to interrupt his thoughts, “Jack?”  
“Huh, what?” he asked, bringing himself back to reality.  
“You’re staring at me,” she chuckled at him.  
Jack kissed her hand and said, “Just can’t get over how beautiful you are,” Elizabeth smiled appreciatively and blushed, “Can you believe we’ll have been married ten years this July?”   
Elizabeth sighed, “Not in the least. But it’s been the most wonderful ten years of my life, thus far. Our wedding day, our honeymoon, the births of our children, waking up next to you each day. Even though we’ve had trying times, I wouldn’t change these last ten years for the world.”  
Jack smiled, “And these past ten years have made me fall in love with you more and more every day,” Jack glanced over at the dart board and asked, “Shall we play a round?”  
“Jack, you know how terrible I am at throwing darts!” she mocked jokingly.  
“Well that’s the point, Lizzie, that way I know you won’t hustle me,” he smirked and planted a kiss to her cheek.  
“You mean like Abigail did to Pastor Frank when they first started courting?” chuckled Elizabeth at the memory of Abigail telling her that story.  
“Hey, I only saw Rosie here and there until after Father died and Constable LeVeaux was stationed permanently in Ottawa from Montreal. She had pretended for years to be terrible at throwing darts and shooting guns so I thought she was just naturally that way. Boy was I wrong,” he sighed.  
Elizabeth chuckled, “I wonder if Lee has ever found that out.”  
“He has I’m sure,” said Jack, “Probably the hard way.”  
After they had finished their game, to which Elizabeth won easily, Jack stood there stunned, “Oh, by the way, I might have gotten a few pointers from Rosie,” she smirked and rubbed his chest.  
“Wait a minute? You just successfully hustled me in darts?” asked Jack.  
“Maybe,” Elizabeth grinned coyly, “Are you mad?”  
Jack smiled and shook his head. He kissed her and smiled, “That’s my girl.”  
Elizabeth looked at the time and said, “You know, we did tell Molly we’d be there by nine and it’s only eight. What do you say Constable? Want to finish this date ?”  
Jack kissed her again and smiled, “Always, my sweet Elizabeth.”  
******************************************************************************  
It had been a quiet evening for Faith and Shane at Abigail’s café. They had technically brought Phillip along with them, but he had gone to play with Cody and Becky so they could eat alone. Shane noticed Faith hadn’t been her usual perky self lately, “Honey?” he asked softly and Faith looked up at him, “Is something wrong? Is it the food? Do you feel sick?”  
Faith shook her head, “No I feel fine, well physically, and the food’s alright.”   
“Then what’s the matter?” asked Shane.  
Faith sighed, “Shane, do you think Phillip is suddenly…treating me differently ever since we told him that I was going to legally adopt him?”  
Shane thought about it. He couldn’t really see a difference, but maybe it was when he wasn’t around, “What do you mean, sweetheart?”  
“Just,” Faith played with her food, “He still loves me and he’ll still listen to me, but sometimes I wonder if he feels that by having me adopt him, that we’re replacing his mother?” she whispered quietly.  
Shane sighed. The two of them had discussed all of the possible outcomes, but they never knew what they were really going to run into until it happened, “Listen,” he grabbed her hand, “I’ll talk to him a little and see what he’s feeling, but we should also have another conversation as a family.”  
Faith smiled, feeling a little more relieved. The couple glanced over at Clara and Jesse enjoying their meal, “Remember when that was us planning our wedding?”  
“Yeah,” Shane smiled fondly, “I still look back on that day as one of the best days of my life. You don’t know how much you mean to me, Faith Cantrell. God brought you into my life just when I needed you the most.”  
Faith smiled, “I love you Shane.”  
“I love you too.”  
******************************************************************************  
Lee and Rosemary had just arrived back into Hope Valley from Calgary, so they stopped by Lee’s office so he could pick up the final component of his present. Rosemary could feel her heart racing with anticipation and the butterflies in her stomach. Okay, maybe the fluttering in her belly was just baby Coulter moving around some more, but still she was excited. Her sheer grin quickly turned into a frown when she saw the only thing Lee had in his hand was a folder. That couldn’t possibly be his grand gift, could it? Lee got into the driver’s seat and handed the folder to Rosemary, “Hold that. Don’t look at anything,” he ordered.  
_“Why would I? It’s probably just more building plans for the new house,”_ she thought angrily to herself. Once they arrived home, Lee quickly took her hand and eagerly led her inside. He pulled her over to the couch and took the folder from her, “Lee, what’s going on?”  
Lee and she sat down and he took her hands in his, “Okay, Rosie, the reason I waited until the kids were at Dottie’s was because I don’t want them to know about their gift right now in case we have to have a change of plans.”  
“Why would we have a change of plans? For what?” asked Rosemary.  
“Well, in your condition…”  
“Lee, I’m pregnant, not an invalid! Sure, my back is starting to always kill me and my ankles are beginning to swell like water balloons, but that doesn’t make me weak and fragile!” she shouted.  
“I know,” said Lee, “But still, I started planning this gift a little before Christmas, I meant to make this your Valentine’s Day present, as in actually give it to you, but then I found I needed to save some more money, plus you told me you were expecting and I wanted to make sure everything was going smoothly and make sure you’d be out of the first trimester. I knew it would be a few months before you’d be up to traveling, so I had to alter my plans some when you told me about the baby.”   
“Traveling? To where?” questioned Rosemary.  
Lee smiled broadly and asked, “Honey, what’s the one place the kids have never been that has a special place in our hearts? A city we’ve been to many times when we newly married?” Rosemary thought long and hard. The kids had been to Lee’s hometown of Edmonton, considering it was a short distance from Hope Valley and his parents still lived there. They had been to Montreal just once and Aaron was an infant so he probably didn’t remember it, “It’s not a city in Canada,” Lee stated.   
Rosemary thought about it for a few moments and then her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She tore open the folder and skimmed the paperwork, “NO WAY!”   
“All four of us, Easter week when the kids are off from school, New York City,” said Lee excitedly, “Booked a room at the St. Regis Hotel, got tickets to the Giants opening day game, also got tickets to Cinderella on Broadway. We can take a stage coach to Edmonton and then take the train from Edmonton to Toronto then down to New York City. If we leave right after services on Easter Sunday, we’ll arrive Monday night and have the whole week. Taking the train means you’ll be able to get up and walk around so you don’t get too stiff with the baby. It’ll be great!”   
“But…but…” Rosemary quickly did the math in her head, “I’ll be 23 weeks along then. Will it be okay?”  
“I cleared it with Dr. Shepherd. He says the second trimester is the best time to travel. And if God forbid something bad happens, New York City has some incredible hospitals,” informed Lee.   
“So the late nights and the working weekends…?”  
“Making extra money,” confirmed Lee, “One last big trip before the new baby gets here. So what do you say, sweetheart?”  
Rosemary tried to remain calm, but soon her excitement got the best of her. She threw herself into his arms and he gently lifted her into the air before he quickly set her down again. She finally broke down in tears and passionately kissed him, “Ah, sweetheart, this will be like a second honeymoon. Only with two more little Coulters.”  
“That’s exactly what I was thinking. We can do everything we both did on our honeymoon,” he said.  
“Well, almost everything,” she batted her eyebrows jokingly.  
Lee had to kiss her again, “We also might not want to let Lilly know that we’re pretty sure she was conceived there during our first Valentine’s Day way back in 1912.”  
Rosemary chuckled. Lilly Coulter: ever the dramatic one. The dear girl hadn’t been planned in the least. Sure, Lee and Rosie had talked about children, but Rosemary hadn’t quite gotten on board with the idea of children when she had found out she was expecting Lillian. On top of that, their sweet little girl had decided to make her grand entrance a full four weeks early at 36 weeks. After a heroic 23 hour labor, Lillian Naomi Coulter let all of Hope Valley know she had arrived. She had been small, 2.6 kg (5lbs., 12 oz.), but strong. Thankfully, Aaron had been planned on their part, had only been a week early, and arrived after 12 hours of labor, weighing in at 4 kg even (8 lbs., 13 oz.), “So when should we tell the kids?” she asked.  
“Well, if you’re positive you’ll be up to going…”  
“Oh I’m positive,” she laughed and wiped the tears from her eyes.  
“Then, I’d say tomorrow after church would be a good time. Tell Aaron where he gets to use his new baseball glove and where Lilly will get to wear her new dress,” said Lee. He pulled his wife closer to him, their baby snuggled in between them, “Happy Valentine’s Day Rosemary Grace Coulter.”  
“Happy Valentine’s Day Leland James Coulter.”  
The couple kissed long and hard before Lee said, “I love you so much, Rosie.”  
“Then show me,” she whispered.  
“Gladly,” he answered.


	26. Chapter 26

Elizabeth and William arrived at the school house on Monday morning and many of the students were playing outside. William went to join Cody, Robert, and Aaron with a game of catch while Lilly ran over to Elizabeth excitedly, “Aunt Elizabeth! Aunt Elizabeth!”  
“Lilly Coulter, what do you call me during school hours?” asked Elizabeth with her hands on her hips.  
“I mean…sorry, Mrs. Thornton,” she apologized, “But guess where I get to go during Easter break?!”  
“Where do you get to go, Lilly?” questioned Elizabeth curiously.  
“New York City!” said Lillian excitedly, clapping her hands together, “The lights, the glitz, the glamor, the Broadway shows, Times Square, Coney Island, shopping…”  
“Okay, tell you what, Lilly? How about I let you talk all about what you want to do in New York City after school today? Right now you all have your family tree projects to present,” said Elizabeth, ushering Lilly and the other students into the church.  
“Okay, Mrs. Thornton,” answered Lilly happily.  
Once the children had settled into their seats, Elizabeth smiled broadly, “Alright boys and girls, for the next three mornings, all of you will be presenting your family tree and stories to the class. Siblings may present together, but everyone has to speak at some point. If you have two different stories, that’s not an issue, but if you have the same story, then you need to present it together. Everyone understand?” questioned Elizabeth. The children nodded, “Excellent! Who would like to go first?” Both Lilly and Cody raised their hands, “Cody, why don’t you and Becky come up?” Lilly pouted a little as Cody and Becky made their way to the front of the room, but she didn’t say anything.  
The brother and sister held up their family trees and Becky began, “Well, we weren’t actually born in Hope Valley like most everyone here. We’re both originally from Grand Prairie, Alberta, and we lived there until our biological mother and father died when we were very young,” she said sadly.  
“We had to fend for ourselves for a while, because we ran away from the orphanage. We eventually found our way to Hope Valley where we were taken in by our adoptive Mom and Dad, Pastor Frank and Abigail Hogan. They both really wanted children so they decided to adopt us in May, 1914 when I was five and Becky was eight,” continued Cody.  
“Mom grew up in Calgary and Dad grew up in London, Ontario. He came to Hope Valley to become the new pastor of the church where he met Mom, who is our mayor and also runs the café. He asked her to start courting and they did. Mom and Dad got married on November 16, 1912. They adopted us two year later and we’ve been a family ever since,” said Becky happily.  
The class clapped and the two siblings took their seats, “Wonderful story you two. Who wants to go next?” Lilly raised her hand again, and Elizabeth figured she’d keep doing so until she called on her, so Elizabeth said, “Lilly, you’re next. Come on, Aaron,” she motioned for Aaron to come to the front. He slid out his seat and went to stand next to his sister, “Remember, you _both_ have to speak at some point,” she emphasized, hoping Lillian would get the hint not to take over the conversation.  
“We have different stories, Mrs. Thornton,” said Aaron.  
“Alright then, proceed,” said Elizabeth.  
“Well, our Daddy, Lee Coulter, runs the saw mill here in Hope Valley, but he grew up in Edmonton. He loves to build things and that’s why he wanted to open a saw mill,” said Aaron. He took a deep breath and choked back tears; he knew Lilly was aware of what he was about to say next since Lee and Rosemary had told her the following day after Lee had told Aaron, “Daddy also wanted to open a saw mill for our Uncle Patrick, who went to Heaven when Daddy was little. So he decided to come to Hope Valley to start his business where he met Mommy.”  
“Our Mommy was born in Montreal and grew up in Rosemère, Quebec. Her Daddy was a Mountie like William’s Grandpa,” said Lilly, “Mommy and Mountie Jack have known each other since they were little and grew up together when Mommy moved to Ottawa when she was twelve. Well, she eventually became an actress in New York City before coming to Coal Valley. She wouldn’t tell me why she wanted to move here,” Lilly wrinkled her nose. Elizabeth chuckled to herself, grateful Rosemary had left one particular detail out of that story, “Well, Mommy and Daddy met and he courted her before they got married on July 5, 1911. Then I was born on October 9, 1912 and Aaron was born on May 26, 1914. And we also get a baby brother or sister this summer because Mommy has a baby in her tummy right now.”  
Opal raised her hand, “Yes Opal,” said Elizabeth.  
“Is that why Mrs. Coulter’s belly is getting really big?” asked Opal curiously.  
“Yes Opal, don’t some of you remember when I had Mary and Charlotte in my tummy a few years ago? And how my belly got really big?” reminded Elizabeth.  
“Oh yeah,” they all said as the remembered Elizabeth’s most recent pregnancy.  
“Anything else you’d like to add?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Mommy speaks French really well and teaches me some,” said Lilly, “And she calls me Lilly Bug most of the time.”  
“One of Daddy’s favorite sports is baseball,” added Aaron.  
“Alright,” Elizabeth laughed and clapped along with the other students. Lilly and Aaron took their seats and Elizabeth said, “Alright, we have time for one more presentation. Who wants to go?” William hesitantly raised his hand and Elizabeth smiled, “Okay William, you can go.”  
William came to the front of the room and began his presentation, “Well, my Daddy is Mountie Jack Thornton. His father, my Grandpa, Thomas Thornton, was also a Mountie, but he died when Daddy and Uncle Tom were little. My Grandma, Charlotte Thornton, was a teacher just like Mommy is. On Mommy’s side, there’s Grandpa William, whom I’m named after along with Grandpa Tom, Grandma Grace, Aunt Viola, Uncle Lionel, cousin Theodore, and Aunt Julie. Mommy came to Coal Valley from Hamilton, Ontario to become a teacher, I think we all know that. Well, Mommy and Daddy hated each other at first…”  
“William Thomas!” scolded Elizabeth jokingly as the class laughed.  
“Well eventually, Daddy won Mommy’s heart. They got married on July 17, 1910 and I was born on April 18, 1911. My twin sisters, Mary and Charlotte, were born on May 11, 1916. Now, because Daddy’s a Mountie, he gets to fight bad guys, like when he went to the Northern Territories. The way he won Mommy’s heart was when he saved her and my Aunt Julie from a gang of bad guys that came to Coal Valley. He ended up getting them sent to jail and he got a lot of money for his reward. But he donated the money towards building the church/schoolhouse because he knew it would make Mommy like him more…”  
“Okay, William that’s enough,” Elizabeth interrupted her son as the class snickered, her blushing very obvious.  
“But I’m not done telling the story,” William looked up at his mother.  
“But we’re out of time for today,” Elizabeth directed William towards his seat.  
“It’s okay William, we remember the reason she stayed in Hope Valley was because of Mountie Jack,” said Emily.  
“Emily Montgomery!” scolded Elizabeth embarrassingly, “It’s because I love you all so much.”  
“And Mountie Jack,” said Rosaleen.  
“Okay, boys and girls, onto our next lesson,” said Elizabeth firmly.  
******************************************************************************  
After school let out for the day, Elizabeth, William, Lilly, and Aaron all headed towards the café to pick up the twins, Lilly and Aaron talking a mile a minute about their trip to New York, “Mommy says she’ll take us to all of the places she and Daddy went on their honeymoon and when she lived in New York,” said Lilly excitedly, “And we get to see Cinderella on Broadway!” she jumped up and down.  
“And we get to go and see the New York Giants play!” chimed in Aaron.  
“Well, I know your Mommy and Daddy really enjoyed their honeymoon in New York, so I’m sure this trip will be very special for them and you both,” said Elizabeth.  
“Aunt Elizabeth?” asked Aaron.  
“Yes, Aaron?”  
“What’s a honeymoon?”  
“Um…well...” stuttered Elizabeth, her mind racing on how to age-appropriately answer their question, “It’s a nice trip newlywed couples take to relax after the stress of planning their wedding. They get to spend some time alone together and they also get to know each other.”  
“But don’t they know each other before the wedding?” asked Lilly confusingly.  
“Yes, they do,” said Elizabeth, “But sometimes couples like to take trips alone together to get to know each other better, even when they have children, like when your Mommy and Daddy went to Quebec City this past November,” she explained, _“And gave you a new baby brother or sister,”_ she added mentally.  
I still don’t understand,” said Aaron.  
“Elizabeth!” Abigail said happily when she saw her friend.  
“Oh Abigail, thank goodness!” said Elizabeth relieved. Elizabeth pulled Abigail aside and said, “Somehow we got on the subject of honeymoons.”  
“Oh dear,” Abigail smirked, “Well, Cody and Becky said the presentations are going well.”  
“They are,” confirmed Elizabeth, “I’ll be talking about the food and clothing drive on Wednesday since it’s the start of Lent.”  
“Alright, let me go find the girls for you,” said Abigail. Once Abigail had gotten Mary and Charlotte, everyone went home where Jack was waiting for them, “Hey there’s my little Mountie and my little Princesses!”  
“Daddy!” they all shouted happily.  
“Hey guys,” he kissed them all and rubbed William’s head, “How did the presentation go, Little Man?”  
“Okay, but I think Mommy got uncomfortable,” he looked at Elizabeth.  
“Most of the kids remember how we met and our wedding,” said Elizabeth shyly.  
“Oh,” chuckled Jack, “Well, I got to work on the new house some today, so how about we start talking about your rooms!”  
“Can we, Mommy?” asked Mary.  
“Of course, just know that dinner will be ready in about an hour,” she smiled.  
“Alright kids, let’s go talk about what you want,” smiled Jack escorting them up the stairs.  
******************************************************************************  
Lee and Rosemary were startled awake when they both heard crying coming from down the hall. Rosemary jumped up out of bed and went down the hall to find Lillian crying in her sleep, “Lilly Bug, wake up! You’re dreaming, sweetheart!” she whispered, shaking her awake.  
Lillian opened her eyes and crawled into Rosemary’s arms and sat on her lap, “Oh Mommy, the monsters under the bed were chasing me.”  
“It’s okay Lilly Bug,” said Rosemary, “There are no such things as monsters under the bed,” she soothed, rocking Lilly back and forth in her arms. It was a task getting harder by the day, but thankfully, Lilly didn’t seem to mind at the moment.  
“Can Daddy check?” asked Lilly. Rosemary turned around to find Lee standing in the door frame.  
“Of course, Princess,” said Lee.  
“Mommy? Daddy?” asked Aaron.  
“It’s okay, Buddy. Lilly just had a bad dream. Go back to sleep,” said Lee. Aaron nodded and closed his eyes again. Lee bent down and said, “Nope, no monsters. Just some shoes and a few toys,” observed Lee.  
“Promise?” sniffed Lilly.  
“Promise,” Lee kissed her forehead and left the room.  
She looked up into Rosemary’s eyes and asked, “Mommy, can you sing to me? The song you used to sing to me when I was little? About the ringing bells?”  
Rosemary was a little confused until she realized what Lilly meant, “Of course, sweetheart,” she continued to rock her in her arms and sang _“Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?”_  
“No, the other way,” said Lilly.  
Rosemary smiled softly and began again, _“Frère Jacques, Frère Jacques, Dormez-vous? Dormez-vous? Sonnez les matines, sonnez les matines. Ding, dang, dong. Ding, dang, dong,"_ Rosemary sang it through a few more times before Lilly was asleep. She tucked her back into bed and kissed her forehead before she returned to her room, where Lee had already fallen back asleep. She crawled into bed next to her husband and rubbed her bump, feeling an incredible sense of comfort at the moment. She had forgotten just how much she dearly missed having little ones who were small enough to snuggle against her chest in her arms. She had forgotten how much she had missed nursing Lilly and Aaron and then rocking them to sleep while singing them a lullaby. And Elizabeth was right: it would all come back to her just fine.


	27. Chapter 27

Over the next few days, the other children presented their family tree projects to the class. Wednesday morning, the morning of Ash Wednesday, arrived, which meant Elizabeth had only half a day for school; the other half of the day, the church would be used for services. Everyone except one student had presented their family tree. Elizabeth smiled softly at Phillip and asked, “Phillip, are you ready to go?”  
He nodded, though Elizabeth could tell he was apprehensive. He went to the front of the room and took a deep breath before he began, “Well, both my Mommy and my Daddy are from Regina, Saskatchewan. I was also born there. Well, my Mommy died when I was little and Daddy struggled to bring in a lot of money to care for us. Finally, he told me we had to move out west in order for him to find more jobs. We used to live in a tent city on the edge of Hope Valley, but then Daddy found a job at Mr. Coulter’s saw mill, so we were able to move into a house here in Hope Valley. Daddy also met Faith Carter, the nurse at the infirmary, and soon after we moved here, he asked her if she wanted to court him. They married on August 3, 1918. Faith is also going to adopt me this year, which would officially make her my Mommy. But I’ll never forget my other Mommy,” he braced himself. He was afraid the other students were going to tease him.  
Elizabeth began to clap and soon, the other students followed suit, “Wonderful story Phillip,” she exclaimed proudly. Phillip smiled and took his seat, “Alright boys and girls, you all did an excellent job with you family tree projects. I hope you learned a lot about the different types of families and about your families. But, unfortunately, not all families are as lucky as some of ours. We all live in nice, warm homes, we have plenty to eat, clothes to wear, and many of us have nice toys to play with for fun. But not all families are as fortunate as all of us. There are some families in Canada that can’t afford nice clothes or don’t have enough food to eat,” Elizabeth smiled as Abigail and Frank entered the church. Elizabeth motioned for them to come to the front, “So, Pastor and Mayor Hogan will be describing our next big project. The floor is yours,” said Elizabeth.  
“Thank you, Mrs. Thornton,” said Abigail.  
“Well, since today marks the beginning of Lent, our next project is about sacrificing and remembering others who need it, just like Jesus did when He died on the cross for us,” started Frank, “In downtown Calgary, there is a community of people who don’t always have food on their tables or aren’t able to afford warm clothes or even their own homes. You all know we’ve had an especially cold winter and I think everyone here remembers the blizzard we had in Hope Valley right after Christmas.” The children nodded.  
“Well, for your next project, Mrs. Thornton, Pastor Frank, and I would like all of you to bring in stuff for those people in need of our help. This can include non-perishable food, new or gently used coats, dresses, pants, and shirts, possibly stuff you’ve all outgrown. Also, for the children of the community, it would be nice to be able to give them some toys, so if you could all bring in some toys that maybe you don’t play with anymore, I’m sure those children would really appreciate it,” said Abigail.   
Elizabeth smiled, “Thank you Pastor Frank, Mayor Hogan, do you think we could all help them do that this Lent and Easter season?”   
The children nodded and began to chatter away about what they would donate. Abigail and Frank quietly slipped out of the church and Elizabeth decided to let the children draw some pictures for the short remainder of school. She dismissed them at noon and the children went home for lunch. Elizabeth had decided to meet Jack at Abigail’s and have a family lunch with the kids. When she arrived at the restaurant, Jack, Mary, and Charlotte were there to greet her, “MOMMY!” they shouted excitedly.  
“Hi, Mary, Charlotte,” she kissed them both, “And one for my special Mountie,” she kissed Jack.   
Jack smiled and kissed her back, “So what do the kids think of the new project?”  
“I think they’re pretty excited,” she said happily, “I really hope it’ll make a difference in these people’s lives, if only temporarily.”  
“Well, it’s what Hope Valley does best: come together as a community to help others,” said Jack, leading her back over to the table.  
“Daddy, do you think you could help me pick out a toy for the Lenten drive?” asked William curiously.  
“Of course I can, Buddy, but I have to go back to work after church. Maybe, I can help you later tonight after dinner,” said Jack and William nodded.  
“What Lenten drive?” asked Mary.  
“For the less fortunate in Calgary. Aunt Abigail and Pastor Frank will explain it to everyone at church this afternoon,” said Elizabeth to her daughter. Mary nodded and went back to her food.  
******************************************************************************  
After Ash Wednesday services ended, most everyone returned to work with the obvious exception of Elizabeth, who went home to prepare lesson plans and grade spelling tests. Bradley, Lilly, and Aaron were playing at the dress shop, though Lillian wasn’t too interested in playing with soldier toys and cars, so she went over to Rosemary, “Whatcha doing, Mommy?” she asked cutely.  
“Um, as soon as I finish sewing this dress, I’m going to start making clothes for the new baby,” answered Rosemary.  
Lilly frowned when she heard the word baby. That’s all Mommy and Daddy had been talking about in her mind, not to mention everyone else in Hope Valley. Whenever they were at church on Sundays, nobody really asked her about school or life in general. They would go directly to her mother and father and talk about the new baby and it wasn’t even here yet! And it wasn’t much better at home. Her Daddy would come home talking about the new house and the first room he’d bring up in the conversation was the baby’s room. Most of the discussions at dinner involved the furniture for the baby’s room or how a doctor’s visit went (she was tired of going to those too. She couldn’t feel or hear anything!) or basically about the new baby, period. Her parents would read to the baby and sing to the baby. Actually, they would just generally talk about the new baby nonstop and Lillian was pretty sick of it. It was like she didn’t even exist anymore!   
Rosemary glanced over at her daughter, “Is there something you need, Lilly Bug?”  
“No, I’m fine,” she pouted and stalked back over to Aaron and Bradley.  
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, Jack went upstairs with William to help him pick out a toy for the Lenten drive. William looked through his toy box, but nothing seemed special enough to give to a child in need, “How about this one, Buddy?” asked Jack. He held up one of William’s cars.  
William shook his head, “No, not special enough,” they sorted through the toy box some more and finally, William held up a small stuffed bear. It was white and dressed as a Mountie. Jack had given it to him right before he deployed to the Northern Territories as a way to remember him while he was gone. Jack had also given it to him just in case if, Heaven forbid, he hadn’t come home; one last special gift from Daddy. A few tears formed in William’s eyes. The bear was special enough for the drive, but it really meant something to him.  
Jack laid a hand on his son’s back, “Buddy, you don’t have to give up anything that really means something to you.”  
William nodded and put the bear back in the toy box just as Elizabeth came into the room, “Alright William, time to start getting ready for bed.”  
William nodded and stood. He turned to Jack and asked, “Daddy, can you help me pick out a toy at a different time?”  
“Of course. Now go with Mommy to get ready for bed,” Jack ushered William towards Elizabeth. William left the room and Jack sighed as he picked up the bear once more, as it was a constant reminder of how much his family meant to him. It was a reminder to be grateful for every day.   
******************************************************************************  
Lee walked through the door after a late day at the mill. He had had to stay later both with church in the middle of the afternoon plus a run to Union City, “Hey honey, I’m home!”  
Lilly and Aaron came running down the stairs, both dressed in their pajamas, “DADDY!” they shouted happily.   
“Hey Kiddos!” he hugged and kissed them both, “Where’s Mommy? I have something to show her.”  
Rosemary came down the stairs and smiled, “She’s here, she just can’t move as fast as a seven year old and a five year old, especially right now,” she hugged and kissed him, “Did you get what you needed in Union City?”  
“I did,” Lee confirmed. He bent down and kissed her tummy, “How’s the little one?”  
“Fine,” she smiled.  
“Daddy, can I show you a picture I drew at school today?” asked Lilly sweetly.  
“Of course, Little Flower,” said Lee, then looked down at the bag in his hand, “Oh right after I show Mommy something.”  
“What is it?” asked Rosemary, glancing into the bag.  
“It’s stuff for the baby,” said Lee, “I saw them at one of the stores in Union City and I couldn’t help myself.”  
Lillian scowled. Her Daddy had just brought up the new baby AGAIN! Rosemary pulled a little baseball outfit out of the bag, “Ah honey, that’s so sweet, but what if it’s a girl?”   
“I’ve got you covered,” Lee smiled, reaching into the bag and pulling out the frilliest pink dress Rosemary had ever seen. She chuckled and wiped a few tears from her eyes, “It just screamed ‘Coulter girl’,” he smiled.  
“Ah, sweetheart, thank you!” she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him passionately.   
Lee rubbed her abdomen and said, “You’re welcome,” he turned around to face Lilly, “Now what did you want to show me, Little Flower?”  
Lilly’s arms were crossed over her chest and she was clearly angry. She didn’t say anything, but she turned on her heels and stomped furiously up the stairs. Lee turned back to Rosemary, who was just as surprised as he was, “Did I say something wrong?”   
He looked over at Aaron, who just shrugged his shoulders at his parents, “She was acting weird earlier today at the dress shop too.”   
Rosemary sighed and grabbed the bag off of the dining room table, “Maybe she’s just tired. It’s past their bedtime,” she said, “Come on Aaron, I’ll read you a story and tuck you both into bed.”  
Aaron nodded happily and grabbed Rosemary’s hand. She led him up the stairs figuring both of them needed sleep, though she had a nagging feeling something else was bothering Lillian.


	28. Chapter 28

The next morning, Rosemary quickly realized a good night’s sleep didn’t fix Lillian’s attitude. The usually chatty girl hadn’t spoken a word to any of them that morning; in fact, she hadn’t said much at dinner that night either. And Friday morning was no different. Again, she didn’t say a word; instead, she had chosen to quietly get ready and sulk down the stairs for breakfast. Rosemary turned around when she heard Lilly come down the stairs and said, “Good morning, Lilly Bug,” she smiled.  
“Morning,” she replied curtly, taking her seat at the table.  
Rosemary decided not to say anything else, but instead focus on finishing breakfast. She set two platefuls of waffles, scrambled eggs, and sausage in front of her kids and asked, “Do you guys want orange juice, apple juice, regular milk, or chocolate milk?” she asked.  
“Chocolate milk please!” Aaron said happily.  
Rosemary poured the milk, “Lilly, what would you like?”  
Lilly shrugged her shoulders, “Whatever,” she answered.  
Rosemary took a deep breath to quill her frustration and poured a second glass of chocolate milk. She set them both down on the table just as Lee came down the stairs, “Good morning, my beautiful family!”  
“Hi Daddy!” Aaron said happily.  
“Morning, Buddy,” he kissed the top of his head, “Morning, Little Flower,” he kissed the top of Lilly’s head as well.  
“Good morning,” she moped as she picked at her food.  
Lee took a deep breath. Clearly Lilly wasn’t over whatever had been bothering her the last few days. He walked over to Rosemary and kissed her, “Good morning, sweetheart.”  
“Morning,” she smiled softly and rubbed his cheek.  
“Morning little one,” he kissed her belly and Rosemary handed him a cup of coffee. He sat down at the table and Rosie sat down next to him. They said their morning prayer and they all began to eat. Lee turned to Lilly, “Hey, Princess, do you still have what you wanted to show me the other night?”  
Lilly sighed but nodded, _“About time you remembered,”_ she thought. She grabbed the picture out of her school bag and handed it to Lee. It was a picture of him with the words ‘I Love You Daddy’ written on it; she had made one for Rosie as well, “Do you like it?”  
“Like it? I love it!” he smiled and kissed her, “In fact, I think I’ll hang it up in my office. Oh, speaking of which, I’ll probably be there a little later tonight.”  
“What for? It’s the weekend,” asked Rosemary.  
“Bill promised to stop by and we’re going to start the crib for the nursery,” said Lee and Rosemary smiled.  
Lilly’s face fell. A whopping minute and a half before her parents began talking about the baby. She quickly finished her breakfast and wiped her mouth before she said, “I have to get something from upstairs.”  
“Alright, don’t take too long,” said Rosemary. Lilly returned a few moments later with her favorite rag doll in her hand. Strange. The only time Lilly had ever brought a toy with her was her very first day two years ago, yet she had insisted on bringing it to school with her the last several days.  
Lee gulped the last of his coffee and looked at the time, “I’ve got to go. Have a good day at school Kiddos,” he kissed them both.  
“Bye Daddy,” they said.  
Lee kissed Rosemary and laid a hand over their baby, “I’ll try to be home for dinner tonight. If I’m not home by six, don’t be afraid to eat without me.”  
“I’ll keep a plate warm for you,” she nodded.  
“Okay,” he kissed her cheek, “I love you.” He left.  
Rosemary cleared the table, “Alright guys, time for school, go grab your bags and I’ll walk you over on my way to the infirmary.”  
“We can walk ourselves, Mommy,” said Lilly.  
“Are you sure?” she asked.  
“We do it all the time,” answered Lilly.  
Rosemary sighed, “Alright then,” she kissed her daughter’s and her son’s cheeks, “Have a good day, Lilly Bug, Aaron.”  
Aaron smiled and kissed Rosemary’s abdomen, “Have a good day, Baby Coulter.”  
_“Oh great. Even Aaron is showing more attention to the baby than anyone else,”_ thought Lilly. She grabbed her school bag and Aaron’s hand before she shouted, “Come on, Aaron!” She practically dragged him out the front door.  
******************************************************************************  
Phillip came down the stairs early that morning, though Shane had had to go into work early. Faith was already dressed in her nurse uniform by the time he came downstairs, “Morning, sweet boy,” she smiled.  
“Morning,” said Phillip sitting at the dining room table.  
“I made you pancakes and bacon. Daddy says they’re you’re favorite,” she set the plate down in front of him.  
He nodded happily and began to eat, “Can I ask you a question?”  
Faith froze but nodded, “Of course,” she sat down at the table and gave Phillip her full attention, “What’s up?”  
Phillip sat his glass of milk down and asked, “When you adopt me, you’ll officially become my Mommy right?”  
“Yes, that’s correct,” confirmed Faith.  
“So…” Phillip trailed off, “Does that mean I have to forget about my other Mommy?”  
“No, of course not!” Faith grabbed Phillip’s hand, “Is that what you’ve been worried about?”  
Phillip nodded a little, “I didn’t want you to be mad at me.”  
“Phillip, I’m not mad at you,” she said, “Your Mommy was a very special person. She made your Daddy very happy and she brought you into this world. I may be adopting you, but I know I can never ever replace your Mommy. She’ll always be watching over you from Heaven.”  
“You think so?” he asked.  
“I know so,” Faith squeezed his hand. Faith handed Phillip his lunch, “I made you a peanut butter and honey sandwich, crust cut off, grapes, and white milk, just the way you like it.”  
Phillip took it from her and went to leave, “Mommy?” asked Phillip. Faith looked up at him, “Can you walk me to school?”  
Faith glanced at the clock. Rosemary wasn’t supposed to be at the infirmary for her sixteen-week maternal check-up until 9:30; even if she was a little late, Carson could always start the examination. She took his hand, “Lead the way, sweet boy.”  
******************************************************************************  
In regards to Lilly’s behavior, Lee, Rosemary, and Aaron weren’t the only ones who had noticed she hadn’t been herself for the last two days. Elizabeth had also noticed a change in the young girl. She had gone from talking about New York City nonstop to not saying a word in one day. Sure, Elizabeth was somewhat used to Lilly’s mood swings (she had even asked Rosemary and Lee about how to deal with them), but this was odd, even for her, “Alright class, as we get closer to spring, many things change in nature. What are some of the changes that happen?”  
“Leaves grow on the trees,” said Aaron.  
“The weather gets warmer,” said Cody.  
“Fruits, vegetables, and plants grow like in Mother’s garden,” piped in Emily.  
“All of those things are absolutely true, but one of the biggest things about spring is animals often have their babies in the spring,” explained Elizabeth, “And…” Elizabeth noticed Lilly raise her hand, “Yes Lilly?”  
“Do the Mommy and Daddy animals do nothing but talk about the baby until the Mommy has the baby?” asked Lilly bitterly.  
“Um…” stuttered Elizabeth, “I guess they might. I don’t know,” said Elizabeth, “Anyways, what I was saying about babies…”  
“Oh my goodness! Am I going to have to hear about babies here the way I do at home?” shouted Lilly angrily.  
“Lillian Coulter!” Elizabeth turned around and faced her. What on Earth was wrong with happy-go-lucky Lillian, “One more outburst and you’ll have to sit out recess.”  
Lilly didn’t say a word for the rest of the day, but Elizabeth could tell that she was mad. Really mad. And Elizabeth knew that fact since she didn’t even bother to wave goodbye. Elizabeth sighed and gathered her belongings. William and she swung by the café to pick up the girls and went home. She knew Jack was going to be late that night; he was working on the new house all day. She decided she wanted to help poor Lilly. She turned towards William and laid a hand on his shoulder, “Honey, I’m going to go next door and talk to Aunt Rosemary. If anything happens, please come get me, but in the meantime, don’t jump off of anything, don’t touch anything sharp or hot…”  
“Mommy, we’ll be fine,” said William. Just then Jack walked in the door.  
“Oh Jack, thank goodness,” said Elizabeth and kissed him, “I thought you were working on the house?”  
“I was, but I got a lot accomplished today, so I decided to come home earlier,” he said.  
“Well, I hate to leave you so quickly, but can you watch the kids while I talk to Rosemary about something?”  
“Of course,” he smiled and rubbed her shoulder, “Alright guys, who wants to play a game?”  
Elizabeth didn’t hear anything after that because she had left. She quietly knocked on the front door to the Coulter house. Rosemary answered a few moments later, “Elizabeth?”  
“Hey, Rosie, can I talk to you about something?” asked Elizabeth quietly.  
“Of course,” Rosemary let her friend into the house, “Lilly and Aaron are with Cody and Becky and Lee’s working on the crib for the baby, so I don’t think anyone will interrupt us.”  
The two women sat down on the settee and Elizabeth questioned, “First off, how’s the baby?”  
“Good, I’m gaining enough weight, sadly but necessary,” Rosemary grimaced, “Heartbeat is strong enough for me to hear through the stethoscope and I’m feeling kicking even if no one else can quite yet. Still on track for an end of July delivery.”  
Elizabeth smiled but it quickly fell, “Well, that’s good news. Now about why I was originally here.”  
Rosemary swallowed, “It’s about Lilly, isn’t it?”  
Elizabeth nodded softly. Rosemary struggled to hold back tears and Elizabeth grabbed her hand, “Rosie, she’s been shouting in class, she hasn’t been getting along with the other students, and no offense, I’m used to Opal bringing Brownie to class and William brought his Mountie bear when Jack was away on that training assignment, but the only time Lilly brought her rag doll to class was her first day of school,” Elizabeth took a deep breath, “Rosie, I know this is kind of personal, but you and Lee…are you guys okay?”  
Rosemary scowled, “Yes, we’re fine, more than fine actually. Wait, so you assume that because Lilly’s misbehaving in class means Lee and I are having marital problems?!”  
“Well, no but…”  
“Well, do you ask all of your students’ parents if they’re having problems when that student misbehaves?” shouted Rosemary. She was really furious now.  
“Well, a lot of my students only have one parent…”  
“Listen,” Rosemary stood angrily, “I understand I don’t have as much maternal instinct as you. I’ll admit, I never grew up dreaming about holding my babies in my arms and I will also admit that when Dr. Shepherd told me I was pregnant with Lilly, I went home and cried for an hour straight and it wasn’t out of joy. You know I struggled with postpartum depression after Lilly was born because I was having so much trouble adjusting to motherhood and trying to figure out how to care for an infant, and Lilly's colic didn't help matters. No, I can’t always figure out what’s wrong with a child as fast as you can. And I’m well aware I don’t have Lilly and Aaron trained as perfect little Mounties the way you have your kids trained. But just because Lilly is misbehaving at school does NOT give you the right to barge in and ask about my personal life or accuse me of being a bad mother!”  
“Rosie, I wasn’t saying that at all…”  
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to pick up the kids from Abigail’s,” Rosemary grabbed her clutch and stormed out of the house, slamming the door behind her.  
Elizabeth sighed, “That went well,” she sarcastically said to herself.  
******************************************************************************  
The dinner rush was just starting at the café, and since it was Friday, the rush was even heavier. Abigail was refilling teas and coffees when she noticed Rosemary pacing around the sitting area, “Rosemary, the kids are upstairs in…” Rosemary turned around and then Abigail saw it: the face that Rosemary would have whenever she was feeling so overwhelmed to the point that Lee, Elizabeth, nor Jack could calm her, ”Oh dear,” Abigail touched Rosemary’s arm gently, “Are you alright, Rosie?”  
Rosemary shook her head and embraced Abigail, “No, I can’t figure out what’s wrong with my Lilly Bug,” she sobbed.  
“Shush, Rosie, it’s okay,” Abigail soothed, “Listen, let me go tell Clara I need a break and then we can talk. Why don’t you go to the back room and I’ll make some chamomile tea. Alright?”  
Rosemary swallowed thickly, but nodded, “Okay.”


	29. Chapter 29

Abigail finished brewing the tea and set a steaming mug in front of Rosemary. The expectant mother had managed to calm herself enough to be able to speak clearly, though the tears were still flowing, “Thanks,” Rosemary whispered softly.  
Abigail sat down next to her friend and rubbed her back soothingly, “Okay, Rosie, take a deep breath and then start at the beginning.”  
The younger woman took an unsteady breath and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with her,” she stated honestly, “She barely says anything to me and Lee anymore and you know Lillian, talking is one of the things she does best. One of the many personality traits she inherited from me,” Abigail chuckled, “She’s been giving us attitude, talking back to us, acting up in class, neither one of us can figure out what’s bothering her, not even Lee, and you know she has him wrapped around her little finger.”  
“How long has she been acting in this manner?” asked Abigail.  
Rosemary took some time to think about it, “Well, it’s been hit and miss ever since we told the kids I was pregnant, one minute she’s excited about a new sibling, the next minute she hates the concept. She was talking about New York City earlier this week, but I’d have to say the last few weeks she’s been slowly getting more and more difficult. I understand I’m more emotional and hormonal right now, but as a mother, it’s still heartbreaking,” Rosemary vented.  
“Well, is there anything you’ve been doing differently the past few weeks?” asked Abigail.  
Rosemary shook her head adamantly, “No, nothing. Lee gets up and goes to work, the kids go the school, I work at the dress shop Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday and do house work Thursday and Friday. Everyone comes home, we eat dinner, and we have some family time before Lee and I put the kids to bed. That’s it. I mean, it’s been a little more hectic recently, with Lee working on the new house and we’re really starting to discuss things that need to be done before the baby gets here, but still.”  
“Mmhm,” Abigail listened carefully, “And your dinnertime conversations, what have they been about recently?”  
What was Abigail getting at? Rosemary took a sip of tea and answered, “Um, well, normally we ask the kids about school and Lee talks about what’s happening at the mill. The main focus recently has been preparations for the new baby. You know, like how the progress on the house is going, when the furniture is getting built, what supplies we do and don’t need, how my pregnancy’s going, stuff like that. But it’s not like we don’t let the kids share things too.”  
“But you’ll admit you and Lee have been talking about the new baby a lot?” questioned Abigail.  
Rosemary sighed and rubbed her baby bump gently, “It’s a little hard for me to forget about it, now isn’t it? Guess the way I deal with the anxiety is to try to prepare as best as I can.”  
“Rosie, I know you and Lee really wanted this baby and I know you both are over the moon. Goodness, everyone in town is thrilled for you both. But, I think in Lilly’s eyes, that’s all everyone has been talking about recently, especially you both.”  
Rosemary’s eyes widened. How did Abigail find out this fact? She stumbled over her words, “How…how do you know?”  
“Well, earlier this evening, Lilly came downstairs wanting to help me out in the kitchen and let’s just say, she did a little venting of her own,” said Abigail, “Her exact words were ‘Mommy and Daddy only care about the baby’.”  
“Oh dear,” exclaimed Rosemary worriedly, “She really feels that way? Why didn’t she tell me?”  
“Because she knows how excited you both are about the new baby,” answered Abigail, “I know you’re anxious about how your life will change after the baby is born and what your life will be like caring for two school-aged children and a newborn, especially because mothering doesn’t come naturally to you, but I think Lilly misses her Mommy time. _Real_ Mommy time. Where you focus on her and not the new baby.”  
Rosemary started to cry again, but this time, for a different reason, “Oh goodness. She’s right. We’ve been so busy talking about the new house and the nursery and adjusting our routine after the baby gets here, we give the kids so little time to talk. Goodness, I don’t have a clue what they want to do in New York this spring. She’s acting out because she wants our attention. Elizabeth warned me this might happen. Oh no. Elizabeth…” Rosemary trailed off.  
“What about Elizabeth?” asked Abigail in confusion.  
“She came by after school today to discuss Lilly’s outburst in class. She asked whether Lee and I were having problems and I completely flipped out on her,” cried Rosemary, “She was just trying to help me get to the bottom of it and I completely overacted. Utterly screamed at her that she didn’t have any right to question the strength of my marriage or how I parent compared to her. I probably just ruined that friendship too.”  
“Rosemary, you did not ruin your friendship with Elizabeth,” said Abigail, taking her hand, “It probably wouldn’t hurt to apologize and ask for forgiveness, but I think she realizes your emotions are running high and you have a lot on your mind right now. Plus, everyone in town understands that Lilly is…a challenging child.”  
Rosemary chuckled lightly and squeezed Abigail’s hand, “What would I do without you, Abigail?”  
Abigail squeezed back and stood, “I’ll go get Lilly and Aaron for you.”  
Rosemary nodded and went to wait in the sitting area. Aaron came down a few moments later, “Hi Mommy!”  
“Hey Bud,” she smiled and gave him a one arm embrace. Lilly followed shortly thereafter and Rosemary pulled her aside, “You, young lady, are going to get a stern punishment from Daddy and I when we get home. Now say goodbye to Aunt Abigail.”  
They both said goodbye and Abigail pulled Rosemary aside, “Now remember, whatever you and Lee decide for the punishment, don’t let Lilly’s adorable eyes cause you both to cave.”  
“Oh we won’t. You all know I can be very difficult when I want to be,” said Rosemary.  
******************************************************************************  
Once the three Coulters arrived home, Rosemary sent Aaron upstairs to start getting ready for bed and pulled Lee aside, explaining what Lilly had been doing the last few weeks. The two parents stood in front of their daughter, who was sitting on the settee twiddling her thumbs. Lee stood with his hands on his hips and Rosemary had her arms crossed over her chest, “Lillian, do you want to explain what’s been going on and why you’ve been acting in the manner you have been?” asked Lee firmly.  
“All anyone in Hope Valley talks about is the baby. No one cares about me anymore. Even Aaron talks about the baby constantly,” she cried emphatically.  
“Lillian, that is not true,” said Rosemary.  
“It is true! The other day when Daddy came home from work, he couldn’t stop talking about the baby long enough to look at picture I made for him!” screamed Lilly.  
Lee’s heart broke a little at her confession, but he composed himself and maintained his stern face. Lilly couldn’t win this battle with her usual tactics this time, “And I apologize for that, but that doesn’t give you an excuse to yell at Mrs. Thornton, disrupt her class, or talk back to us.”  
“Everyone in town talks about the baby. Aunt Elizabeth, Uncle Jack, Aunt Abigail, Pastor Frank, even Mrs. Ramsey, Mrs. Sullivan, and Mrs. Blakely! They don’t ask about me anymore. Only the baby,” vented Lillian.  
“Lillian, we understand why you’re feeling the way you’re feeling. Preparing for a new baby is a lot of work and it will need a lot of attention once it’s born,” said Rosemary, “But you can’t holler, scream, and act out just because you’re jealous and your actions can’t go unpunished. So for the next week, you’ll eat dinner, but no dessert. And you will also not be able to play outside this week.”  
“At least I still have recess,” Lillian muttered under her breath.  
“Well then, I will let Mrs. Thornton know to keep you inside the entire week. You will also write a letter of apology for your behavior to her.”  
“But…but…” stuttered Lillian.  
“No buts, Lillian,” said Lee sternly, “Now go upstairs and start getting ready for bed,” Lillian huffed and stomped up the stairs. Once Lilly was gone, Rosemary choked back a few tears and Lee embraced her, “Hey, come here,” he soothed, “I know it’s hard, but it’s a necessary evil of parenting. She deserves to be punished. Once the punishment is over, we’ll work together to make her feel better.”  
“I know,” whispered Rosemary, “Still doesn’t make it any easier,” Rosemary took a deep breath, “Speaking of Elizabeth, I have to go next door and take care of something. Can you make sure that Lilly and Aaron have their teeth brushed and are dressed for bed?”  
“Of course,” nodded Lee, “Go.”  
******************************************************************************  
Jack hesitantly opened the door when he heard a knock, “Rosie?”  
“Hey, can I come in?” she asked quietly.  
Jack moved aside to let her in and Rosemary looked around the room, “She’s upstairs getting the kids ready for bed,” he answered, a hint of hurt in his voice.  
Rosemary turned to face Jack, “I guess she’s upset?”  
“Well, she’s not happy,” said Jack.  
“And she has every right to be mad at me,” said Rosemary, “Can you please get her for me?”  
Jack nodded and called out to her, “Lizzie!”  
“What?” Elizabeth called from upstairs.  
“You have a visitor!” shouted Jack. Elizabeth came down the stairs and sighed when she saw Rosemary, “Well, I’ll leave you ladies alone,” said Jack and he disappeared.  
“Hey,” Rosemary smiled softly.  
“Hey,” answered Elizabeth back, arms crossed over her chest.  
“Before you say anything, let me explain,” pleaded Rosemary, “I was way out of line…”  
“Yeah you were,” said Elizabeth bitterly.  
“But I am pregnant right now, so it’s the hormones right?” asked Rosemary innocently.  
“Oh you think that outburst was because you’re pregnant,” stated Elizabeth walking towards her, “The hormones might be one factor, but there are other reasons.”  
“Elizabeth Thornton…” said Rosemary angrily.  
“Oh come on, Rosie, everything you blamed me for earlier, for judging your marriage or your ability to be a mother, you turned around and did the exact same thing to me. And the thing is, you don’t even realize it,” said Elizabeth. Rosemary took a deep breath to suppress her growing rage, “Rosemary, I’ll give it to you that out of all the town children, Lilly has the most difficult temperament. I know; I spend six hours a day, five days a week with her. But you act like you’re the only woman in town who has stress inducing days with her kids! You act like you’re the only one who doesn’t know how to handle motherhood! Well, newsflash: no woman truly knows what she's doing, whether mothering comes easily to her or not. And if you think I have my kids trained like little Mounties, you couldn’t be more wrong. They just know how to turn on the charm in front of others. I’ll turn my back for thirty seconds and they’ll be climbing all over the furniture like they’re jungle gyms. They talk back, just like any other kid. There are nights where I will go to bed sobbing because I’ve had such a tough day with one of them. And be lucky you have a man like Lee in your life. You can guarantee he’ll always be there for you. He’s been here holding your hair back when you’ve been puking, he’s been here to run to the mercantile or Abigail’s café when you’re craving pickles and ice cream or God knows what else, he’s here to cook dinner or do the housework if you need to put your feet up and rest, he’s here if your back is hurting you so badly that the only way you’ll be able to sleep semi-comfortably is with a back massage and your husband’s physical support. This July, he’ll be right there by your side as you deliver your child, no ‘possibly’ or ‘maybe’ involved. And once that baby is born, he’ll be there for both of you,” Elizabeth pointed towards Rosemary’s growing stomach, “He won’t think twice about covering a late night feeding or diaper change because you’re so tired, you can’t see straight.”  
“Elizabeth…”  
“No, let me finish,” Elizabeth held up her hands, “And you should count your blessings and thank God that you don’t have to worry about Lee going somewhere dangerous. You should thank God that you don’t have to worry about becoming a single mother on a moment’s notice. You should thank God that unless Heaven forbid some tragic accident happens at the mill, you don’t have to be afraid of possibly having the conversation with your kids that Daddy’s not coming home. Or worse: the thought of your child never knowing his or her father,” Elizabeth cried.  
Suddenly, it hit Rosemary like a ton of bricks. The time Elizabeth had to suddenly become a single Mom when Jack was in the Northern Territories. Rosemary had been two months away from giving birth to Aaron and although taking care of a toddler while pregnant certainly hadn’t been easy, Lee had been by her side the entire time. And Elizabeth had always offered to take Lilly when Rosemary needed the rest or was busy with Aaron, even when she had had a stressful day teaching and taking care of William alone. And then Elizabeth had taken care of William by herself AGAIN, only the second time she had been pregnant. With TWINS! Again, no complaints, at least not on the surface. And here she was, complaining because Lilly was being just a somewhat typical child. Rosemary approached a tearful Elizabeth and laid a hand on her shoulder, “Elizabeth, what’s going on?”  
Elizabeth stayed silent for several moments, so Rosemary assumed she wasn’t going to answer before she finally whispered, “Saskatchewan.”  
“What?” asked Rosemary softly.  
“There are criminal gangs forming in northern Saskatchewan,” explained Elizabeth.  
“Elizabeth, is Jack...?”  
“That’s just it. We don’t know for sure. Right now the Mounties in Saskatchewan and Manitoba have it handled, but if it gets any worse, we were informed last night that they might call Mounties here in Alberta to join in the fight. We haven’t told the kids; we don’t want to worry them unless he actually has to leave. We don’t want to tell anyone else in town in case he stays put. We’d just be worrying everyone for no reason,” said Elizabeth.  
Rosemary handed Elizabeth a tissue and Elizabeth wiped her eyes, “I’m so sorry Elizabeth, I had no idea.”  
“Well, that was kind of the point,” Elizabeth chuckled lightly, “Besides me, you’re the closest person to Jack in Hope Valley. And with the baby, especially since your pregnancy is considered a geriatric pregnancy, I didn’t want to worry you.”  
Rosemary sighed, “Well, to be honest, I appreciate you telling me. I don’t know, I feel more comfortable knowing of the possibility than it just coming up out of the blue. Elizabeth,” Rosemary grabbed her hand, “If you need help with anything, you know I’m always here. And I promise I won’t tell anyone about Jack.”  
Elizabeth squeezed Rosemary’s hand, “Thank you. And you know that offer stands with me too.”  
Rosemary smiled and pushed herself to her feet. She was just about to leave, but stopped herself, “Oh Elizabeth?” Elizabeth looked at her friend, “Two things: one, could you keep Lilly inside for recess this week as part of her punishment for acting out?”  
“Sure, no problem,” Elizabeth confirmed.  
“And…about Jack…I know you don’t want me to tell anyone, but if I need to talk and you’re not around, can Lee…?”  
“Of course,” Elizabeth answered.  
Rosemary smiled, “Thanks.”  
*****************************************************************************  
Once Rosemary arrived back at home, it was quiet in the house so she went upstairs to check on the kids. They were both fast asleep, so she went to the master bedroom where Lee was dressed for bed and reading quietly. Rosemary changed into her pajamas and climbed into bed next to her husband. He smiled and rubbed her leg soothingly, “Did you take care of everything with Elizabeth?” Rosemary looked at him skeptically, “Hey, give me some credit. I know when you’re upset.”  
“Yeah, I think we’re good,” she sighed uneasily.  
Lee put the book down and outstretched his arms for Rosie, who happily leaned into his embrace. He ran a hand over her belly and asked, “Rosie, sweetheart, please tell me what’s wrong.”  
Rosemary took a deep breath and grabbed his hand, “I’m just glad I have you.”


	30. Chapter 30

“How about June 5th?” asked Jesse to Clara, “That way there’s time in between our anniversary and the Coulter’s and the Thornton’s July anniversaries?”  
Clara took a bite of scone, “I was hoping for a little bit later in June, closer to the end of the month. Maybe somewhere like June 20th?” The engaged couple had decided to meet at Abigail’s for breakfast to discuss wedding plans before Jesse headed into work and Clara began her shift at the café.  
Jesse glanced at the calendar in front of them, “Tell you what? Let’s pick a date in the middle. How about June 15th?”  
Clara smiled, “I think we just set our wedding date, Mr. Flynn.”  
Jesse smiled and kissed her, “Yes we have, future Mrs. Flynn,” he circled the date on the calendar, “Well I guess we can talk with Pastor Frank and make it official.”  
Clara’s heart leapt with joy, “I can’t wait.”  
Frank came down the stairs and smiled when he saw his wife, “Morning Jesse, morning Clara, morning honey,” he kissed Abigail.  
“Hi,” she smiled.  
“Oh Pastor Frank?” asked Jesse. Frank turned around to face him, “Are you available to meet around noon today?”  
“This wouldn’t have to do with a wedding date, would it?” he smiled knowingly.  
“As a matter of fact, it does,” answered Clara happily.  
“I think I can make room to meet with both of you. How’s 11:45 sound?” he asked.  
Clara looked over at Abigail, “I think I can let you go to lunch a little early,” said Abigail.  
“I’ll see if Mr. Coulter will let me take my break a little early, but if not, I’ll definitely be there at noon,” said Jesse.  
“Perfect,” said Frank, “Well, I’ll see you later tonight,” he kissed Abigail’s cheek, “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” she said.  
“Well, I guess I should probably get to work a little earlier if I want to take my lunch break a little earlier,” he kissed Clara, “I’ll see you around noon. Have a good day.”  
“You too,” she smiled.  
Abigail sat down across from Clara, “Well, I guess now that you’re going to have officially set the date, we only have four months to plan your wedding.”  
“Yeah,” Clara chuckled nervously.  
“Hey, what’s wrong?” asked Abigail, grabbing Clara’s hand.  
“There’s just so much preparation to do,” admitted Clara, “I mean, with Peter, we eloped. We didn’t have a big, fancy wedding. I know Rosemary wants to help some, but I don’t want to put all of the responsibility on her since she had two kids and the new baby on the way. Elizabeth has three children and her students. You have the café, the whole town, and Cody and Becky…”  
“Clara,” Abigail interrupted her daughter-in-law, “That may all be true, but if there’s one thing that Hope Valley excels at, it’s coming together to help one of our own with something. And we always delegate tasks based on our talents.”  
Clara smiled, “That makes me feel so much better. In that case, I’d love to make you in charge of the reception meal.”  
“Consider it done,” said Abigail, “The three of us will meet sometime soon.”  
Clara stood to go the kitchen, “Well, I guess we can also figure out who will do what task. Although, I already know who I want to design my wedding dress.”  
******************************************************************************  
An entire week had passed and it was recess time for the students of Hope Valley. Lilly was, of course, still inside as part of her punishment for acting out. She had given Elizabeth the apology letter that Rosemary had helped her write earlier that week and had been a perfect little angel all week. She hadn’t interrupted anybody and only spoke when she was called upon by Elizabeth. It seemed so…weird for Elizabeth to see Lilly behaving almost perfectly. Elizabeth had the feeling she knew what was bothering Lilly though. Elizabeth looked up at the young girl, who looked more sad than angry. She quietly got up from her seat behind her desk and sat down next to Lilly. She laid a hand on the small of her Goddaughter’s back to get her attention, “Lillian, have you learned your lesson this week?”  
“Yeah, that I’m no longer important to Mommy and Daddy,” she moped.  
“No, that’s not it,” said Elizabeth, “Your Mommy and Daddy love you very much. What’s the other thing they wanted you to learn?”  
“Not to scream and lose my temper with people,” said Lilly.  
“That’s right,” said Elizabeth. Lilly sighed sadly, “You know, I sort of know how you feel.”  
Lilly looked up at Elizabeth with tears in her eyes, “No you don’t, Aunt Elizabeth, I mean, Mrs. Thornton. You’ve done nothing but talk about the new baby just like Mommy and Daddy.”  
“I know,” said Elizabeth, “And sometimes people forget how rough the concept of a new baby can be to their big brothers and sisters. Having a baby can make mommies and daddies very nervous, so the way they make themselves calmer is to make sure they’re as ready as possible, and that usually means talking a lot about the new baby. And sometimes people can forget it’s a big change for big brothers and sisters too.”  
“Tell me about it,” said Lillian.  
Elisabeth chuckled, “You know, I have two siblings too, only I’m the middle child instead of the oldest. My sister, Viola, and I are like you and Aaron only there’s eighteen months in between us instead of nineteen months. But it was just the two of us until I was seven when my sister, Julie, was born.”  
“You were my age when you became a big sister?” asked Lilly perking up a little.  
“Mmhm,” Elizabeth confirmed, “And I had a lot of the same feelings you did. I thought my mother and father didn’t love me anymore, that they only cared about the new baby. I used to talk back to everyone and scream and holler until they would notice me.”  
“Did it work?” asked Lilly.  
“Yes, but not in a good way, so I was punished just like you were,” admitted Elizabeth, “But I realized, whenever I was feeling left out, I had to let Mother and Father know I was feeling unnoticed.”  
“And did it help?” asked Lilly.  
“It helped me a lot,” said Elizabeth, “Because I learned I needed to talk about my feelings with people instead of rebelling and acting out. I know your Mommy and Daddy are willing to listen to you.”  
“Even Mommy, because she does most of the talking at dinnertime,” commented Lilly.  
Elizabeth chuckled, “Yes, even Mommy.”  
Lilly wrapped her arms around Elizabeth, “Thank you, Mrs. Thornton.”  
Elizabeth hugged her and rubbed her back, “Oh Lilly, that was Aunt Elizabeth talking to you just now.”  
******************************************************************************  
Since it had been a slow couple of weeks at the dress shop (it was between the Valentine’s Day and Easter rushes), Rosemary had spent the last few weeks sewing new baby clothes for the baby and maternity wear for herself. Goodness, she couldn’t believe how fast her figure had changed in the last few weeks and she was only going to get bigger from here! Her current blouses barely buttoned, her skirts barely zipped, and her maternity corset had only just arrived a week ago. One thing was for sure, if she was going to be forced to expand in order to create a new human life, she was going to look as fashionable as possible in the process.  
Rosemary set down the latest of her adorable little outfits for the baby in the two distinct piles of clothing. She had made sure to make an even amount of attire for a boy and a girl, figuring she could donate the clothing she didn’t end up needing to charity. She picked up a light yellow fabric to make another dress for the baby but then stopped herself, thinking back to what Abigail had told her Lilly had claimed just several days ago, _“Mommy and Daddy only care about the new baby,”_ Rosemary also thought back to the last week: Lilly hadn’t given them any attitude, she had been more willing to help out around the house, she hadn’t rolled her eyes at them or talked back to them. Sure, Rosemary figured it was partially because of the punishment, but Rosemary also recalled Abigail’s advice, _“I think she misses her Mommy time. Real Mommy time. Where you focus on her and not the new baby.”_ Maybe it was time to reward Lilly for _good_ behavior and make her feel special again. And Rosemary figured she could stop by the mercantile on the way home to pick up some chocolate candy for Aaron (the way to the boy’s heart was through his stomach, just like his Daddy).  
An opening door interrupted Rosemary from her daydream. She smiled broadly when she saw Clara enter the shop and pushed herself to her feet, “There’s Hope Valley’s beautiful bride-to-be!”  
“Hi Rosemary,” Clara embraced her and then looked around the shop, “Oh, are you and Dottie busy?”  
“Oh dear, no. We’re actually really slow right now. All of the outfits are for the new baby and for my changing form,” explained Rosemary.  
“Ah,” Clara said.  
“Well, you look like a woman on a mission. What brings you by today?” questioned Rosemary excitedly. She had the feeling she knew why Clara was here.  
“Well, I just got back from a meeting with Pastor Frank and Jesse. We’ve officially set our wedding date,” smiled Clara.  
“Oh that’s marvelous. When?” asked Rosemary excitedly.  
“June 15th,” answered Clara.  
“Oh dear, four months to plan your wedding,” panicked Rosemary.  
“Rosie…” interjected Clara.  
“Right. Small wedding,” remembered Rosemary.  
“Well, Jesse and I are hoping to delegate different tasks to everyone to help us. And there’s a few things we both, well, mostly me, want you to help us with.”  
“You name it,” smiled Rosemary.  
“Well, first off, with your eye for fashion and color, we’d really appreciate it if you’d help us come up with a color scheme. Not that Jesse really understands what that means,” smirked Clara.  
Rosemary chuckled, “Believe me, neither did Lee, Pastor Frank, or Shane Cantrell.”  
“And…” Clara trailed off, “I’d really like you to help me design my wedding gown.”  
Rosemary held back a few tears. She laid her hands on Clara’s shoulders, “When I get done with your dress, you will look absolutely, positively breathtaking.”  
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after dinner, Rosemary decided it was time to talk to Lillian. Lee and Aaron were in their room reading more of _Tom Sawyer_ , so Rosemary grabbed one of her nightgowns and changed in the bathroom. She grabbed the bag with the new dress for Lillian and knocked quietly on the door, “Sweetheart?”  
“Come in,” she answered.  
Rosemary opened the door and smiled, “Lilly Bug, can we talk?” Lilly pulled her legs up to her chest and moved the stuffed horses she was playing with out of the way. Rosemary sat down on the bed next to her and asked, “So did you learn your lesson this week?”  
“Yes, no back talking to you, Daddy, or Aunt Elizabeth,” she admitted quietly.  
“Good. And you promise that if something’s bothering you, you’ll come to me or Daddy about it?” Lilly nodded again, “Good,” Rosemary took a deep breath, “Anyways, last week, Aunt Abigail told me that you told her that you’ve been feeling left out?”  
Lilly nodded a third time, “All you and Daddy talk about is the baby, or at least talk about it first.”  
“Well, I can’t say we’re not going to talk about it anymore, because there will be a lot to do before he or she gets here,” admitted Rosemary and Lilly sighed unhappily, “ _But_ , I’m also going to try to make more of an effort to include you and your brother more and spend some special time with you both individually. And because you’ve made me so proud by being so well-behaved this week, I have a surprise for you,” she handed the bag to Lilly.  
Lilly looked at what was inside and pulled out the dress, “A new dress?! And it’s my favorite color! Thank you, Mommy!” she threw herself into Rosie’s arms.  
“You’re welcome, sweetie. But I thought pink was your favorite color?” she chuckled.  
“Pink, and purple, and yellow, oh no, red. Oh I like all colors!” Lilly threw her hands up emphatically, “Except for green because it reminds me of Daddy’s ugly plaid pants.”  
Rosemary couldn’t help but laugh. She leaned closer to Lillian and said, “Don’t tell Daddy I told you this, but I hate those ugly plaid pants too. But your Daddy is a wonderful man, I love him so much and the way he loves you and your siblings, so I can see past them, “ Lilly beamed in agreement, “Also, this weekend, how about we decide on a couple of things to do in New York City. We can decide just the two of us and we can also do a few things in New York, just you and me.”  
“Promise?” asked Lilly cutely.  
“Promise,” Rosemary smiled, making a mental note to spend some alone time with Aaron doing the same thing that weekend.  
“I love you, Mommy,” Lilly hugged her.  
“I love you too, baby girl,” Rosemary felt a jab in her kidney and softly exclaimed, “Ouch!”  
“Did I hurt you?” Lilly pulled back worriedly. She looked like she was about ready to cry.  
“No, no,” Rosemary assured her. She bit her lip, hesitant to bring up the baby, because she didn’t want Lilly to feel that the baby was stealing her thunder yet again. When Rosemary felt the kicking again, she smiled and said, “Give me your hand, Lilly Bug.”  
Lilly looked at her mother confusingly, but complied. Rosemary placed Lillian’s hand on the part of her abdomen where she was feeling movement, “What are we waiting for?”  
“Be patient, Little Flower, and give it a few seconds,” Rosemary smiled and laughed as she felt the kicking again. She had forgotten how truly magical this moment always was.  
“Mommy’s what’s that I sort of felt against my hand?” asked Lilly.  
Rosemary patted her daughter’s head, “That’s the baby moving around in my tummy.”  
Lilly’s eyes widened, “Really?”  
“Mmhm,” the two Coulter girls felt it again and Rosemary said, “I think she says she loves you, Big Sister.”  
“You think it’s a girl?” asked Lilly hopefully.  
“I don’t know, Lilly Bug, but let me let you in on a little secret,” Lilly leaned in closer, “Your Daddy thinks it’s a girl and he was right about you being a girl and your brother being a boy.”  
“Really?” asked Lilly.  
“Don’t get your hopes up though. He swore to Uncle Jack and Aunt Elizabeth that William was a girl, and he’s obviously not a girl,” Rosemary held up her hand.  
Lilly giggled, “That’s okay. I would love a little sister, but Aaron’s pretty cool and so would another baby brother.”  
Rosemary smiled and kissed Lilly’s forehead, “Well, wait here while I get your brother and then Daddy and I will tuck you both into bed.”  
Rosemary went to leave the room, “Mommy?” Rosie turned to face her daughter, “Should I tell Daddy and Aaron that we felt the baby kick?”  
Rosemary knew both her husband and her son would be disappointed to not be there for the first baby kick, so she shook her head and said, “You know what, Lilly Bug, I think that should just be our little secret.”


	31. Chapter 31

The next day, Rosemary and Lee (and quite frankly, everyone else in Hope Valley) noticed a drastic change in Lillian for the better. The seven year old was back to her usual chatty self, gabbing a mile a minute about New York City, the new baby, Clara and Jesse’s upcoming wedding, the Lenten Food and Clothing Drive, or even the weather outside. The three couples were gathered at Abigail’s for their usual Saturday luncheon and this time, Jesse and Clara had joined them. Rosemary was more than happy begin discussing the wedding, much to Lee and Jack’s dismay, “Daddy, can we go outside and play catch?” asked Aaron hopefully.  
“Of course, Buddy!” said Lee happily, looking for any excuse to not be in the room for wedding preparations, “Come on, William, Cody, Jack!”  
Jack, William, and Cody eagerly followed Aaron and Lee out the door. Becky stood and said, “Well, I have some homework to work on for school. I’ll see you all,” she went up the stairs.  
“Mommy, can we go play dolls in the back room?” asked Mary.  
“If it’s okay with Aunt Abigail,” said Elizabeth.   
They both looked at Abigail with their adorable blue eyes, “Of course it’s okay girls. Just don’t touch anything sharp or hot,” Abigail motioned towards the back room with her head.  
They happily took their dolls and ran to the back. Rosemary glanced down at Lilly and ruffled her blonde hair, “Lilly, don’t you want to go play?”  
“No, I’d rather stay here and help Mr. Jesse and Mrs. Clara plan their wedding,” Rosemary raised her eyebrows at her daughter and Lilly turned to the engaged couple, “If it’s okay with you both,” she pouted cutely.  
“Of course it’s okay, Lilly,” smiled Clara.  
“We could really use your help,” said Jesse and Lilly beamed, grinning from ear to ear.   
“Mommy, am I allowed to have some of Aunt Abigail’s apple pie?” asked Lilly.  
“Your punishment is over, Lilly Bug, you can if you ask nicely,” assured Rosemary.   
“May I have a slice please?” asked Lilly politely.   
“Sure, does anyone else want anything?” asked Abigail.  
“I’m good, honey,” said Frank.  
“So am I,” replied Clara.   
“Me too,” affirmed Elizabeth.  
“Some more coffee, if you have it,” answered Jesse.  
Before Rosemary could speak, Abigail said, “Let me guess? ‘The baby’ wants chocolate cherry cake?” Abigail questioned, air quoting the words ‘the baby’ for emphasis.   
“You know this baby too well,” Rosemary chuckled and placated her. Abigail got up and went to get the desired items.   
“So have you both set your wedding date?” asked Elizabeth, sipping her tea.  
“Mmhm,” smiled Clara.   
“June 15th,” smiled Jesse, grabbing Clara’s hand.  
Abigail returned with the coffee, pie, and cake, and set them down on the table, “Oh thank you so much!” Rosemary happily began to devour the cake.   
“I take it the morning sickness has passed?” chuckled Abigail amusingly.  
“She went from not being able to eat anything without throwing up to eating everything,” said Lilly, trying to put a bite of apple pie on her fork.  
“Lillian Naomi!” scolded Rosemary, though the reprimand was muffled through a mouthful of cherry cake.   
“Sorry Mommy,” apologized Lilly.  
“It’s okay, Lilly Bug, but you can’t just go saying the first thing that pops into that little head of yours,” Rosemary patted her daughter’s head, “Seriously, I don’t know where she gets it from?” she asked and she was 100% serious.  
Everyone else held in their amusement, “Anyway,” began Clara before Rosemary and Lillian could say anything more, “Jesse and I have had some discussion on who we’d like to do what when it comes to helping us plan our wedding.”  
“Oh goody!” Rosemary sat up happily and Lilly did as well.  
“Well, Mrs. Coulter, you already know you’re helping design Clara’s dress and pick out the color scheme. Whatever that is, I don’t think we need it personally.”  
“Mommy’s taught me that weddings ALWAYS need a color scheme. How do you know what kind of tuxedo to wear?” asked Lilly, throwing her hands up in the air.  
“I’m sorry guys, I have no idea what’s gotten into her lately,” apologized Rosemary. Again, serious face.  
“Mayor Hogan, you and Mrs. Montgomery are helping to prepare the reception meal, correct?” asked Jesse.  
“Set up a time and we’ll discuss your options with you,” Abigail smiled in affirmation, “And Henry will usually help wherever he’s needed after a while.”   
“We better make sure there’s lots of sweet stuff for Mommy,” muttered Lillian, as Rosemary had completely consumed her slice of cake in a flash.   
“Lilly…” Rosemary said through gritted teeth.  
“And Pastor Frank will help us pick out our Bible readings,” continued Clara, ignoring Lilly’s running commentary at this point, “Florence and Molly said they’d help with the decorations and the flowers. Elizabeth, if you could set aside a day where we could talk to your students about ushers, the ring bearer, and the flower girl, it would really help us.”  
“Consider it done,” said Elizabeth, “I’ll let you know when I have room in my lesson plans.”   
“What’s a flower girl do?” asked Lilly curiously.  
“Well, it’ a young girl usually under eight who walks down the aisle just before the bride and she throws flowers as she processes to the front of the church,” explained Abigail.  
Lilly’s eyes lit up like saucers, “And all eyes are on her?!”  
“Usually yes,” said Frank.  
Lilly smiled, “Well, I know a PERFECT student of Mrs. Thornton’s to be your flower girl.”  
“Lilly,” warned Rosemary lightly, “You have to be asked by Mr. Jesse and Mrs. Clara.”  
“We will certainly take you into consideration,” smiled Clara, grabbing Lilly’s hand.  
Lilly frowned, “Alright,” she took another bite of her pie, “It’s like the Mary auditions all over again.”   
After Lilly finished her pie, Rosemary hastily gathered her things and ushered Lilly outside, “Go find your brother and Daddy so we can go home,” she said. Lilly hugged everyone goodbye and went to find Aaron and Lee. Rosie turned to everyone and said, “Sorry about that planning session. I don’t know why, but as she gets older, she’s gotten into this bad habit of saying the first thought that pops into her adorable little head, no matter how rude or offensive it is,” Rosemary waved her hand in the air around her head for emphasis, “And she thinks she can get away with it because she’s so cute and has such an upbeat, bubbly personality. I guess she feels she needs to talk all the time because everyone else is so quiet at home,” everyone snickered but Rosemary didn’t even seem to notice, “I’ll see you all later. I’ll have basic sketches of possible dresses for you soon,” Rosemary patted Clara on the shoulder and left.   
Once Rosemary was gone, everyone finally laughed and Jesse asked, “Do you think Mrs. Coulter will ever realize that Lilly is exactly like…?”  
“Not a chance,” Frank shook his head in the negative and Abigail agreed with her husband along with Elizabeth and Clara.  
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after Rosemary had discussed with Lillian what she wanted to do in New York, she found Aaron playing on the floor of their room, “Hey Bud, you ready to talk?”  
Aaron nodded and went downstairs just as Lilly came up them, “Mommy, where’s Daddy?”  
“I think he’s in our room. Why?” asked Rosemary.  
“If he’s not busy with work, I wanted to play tea party with him,” said Lilly.  
“Okay, but only if he’s not doing work,” Rosemary pointed a finger at her. Lilly nodded and went into the master bedroom. Rosemary chuckled to herself. Lilly’s tea parties definitely fell under the category of ‘I’ll do anything for you’ when it came Lee’s parenting adventures.   
Rosemary descended the stairs and sat down next to Aaron on the settee. Both Aaron and Lilly wanted to go to Coney Island and the Bronx Zoo (one thing both of the Coulter children had in common was that they both loved animals), Aaron wanted to see the dinosaur fossils at the American Museum of Natural History, and Lilly wanted to the see the paintings at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and go to Times Square, plus shopping on Fifth Avenue and the Macy’s in Herald Square (Rosemary knew Lee and Aaron would just LOVE that part). Once Rosemary and Aaron had finished their planning, Rosie ruffled his dark brown locks and asked, “Bud, I know I’ve been busy dealing with your sister lately, I haven’t really gotten the chance to talk to you. How are feeling about the new baby?”  
Aaron shrugged, “Okay,” he answered, “Daddy says I’ll get my own room once we move into the bigger house?”  
“Yes, that’s correct,” Rosemary confirmed, “Does that bother you?”  
Aaron shook his head, “No, but Lilly lets me sleep in her bed and says she’ll protect me if I have a bad dream. I hope she will still look after me if I have a bad when we move and we no longer share rooms. ”  
Rosemary’s heart swelled. Lilly might be a little self-centered sometimes, but she always had a big heart and always had the right intentions most of the time (seriously, WHERE did she get that big personality?), “I’m sure she will. Even though you both fight and she’s a bit difficult to get along with sometimes, she loves being your big sister,” Rosemary felt the baby move again and smiled at her son, “Give me your hand, Bud.”  
Aaron did so and Rosemary placed it on her abdomen, “Mommy, what’s that?” he asked.  
“That’s your baby brother or sister,” she responded.  
“Whoa,” Aaron explained, his smile that looked exactly like his father’s appearing on his face, “Mommy, can I ask you a question?”  
“Always,” answered Rosemary, rubbing his back.   
“Santa brings our Christmas presents and puts them under our Christmas tree, or well, one of them, right?” asked Aaron. He stroked his mother’s abdomen in awe as baby Coulter continued to frolic around inside Rosie’s belly.  
Rosemary scowled in bemusement, but answered, “Yes.” Where was Aaron going with this conversation?  
“Well, then how did he put the baby in your tummy so it could grow big and strong?” asked Aaron.  
“Well…” Rosemary stuttered, her mind scrambling on how to answer Aaron’s question, “Bud, Santa didn’t actually put it there.”  
“Then who did?”  
“Daddy put it there.”  
“Oh,” Aaron went back to happily feeling his sibling wriggling around in Rosemary’s growing stomach.   
“I think it’s time to start getting you and Lilly ready for bed. We have church tomorrow,” sighed Rosemary, quickly changing the subject.   
Once Lee and Rosie had gone through their kids’ bedtime routine, they went to their room and tucked themselves in for the night, “I tell you, if anyone finds out about my tea parties with Lilly, I will never live it down at the mill. Or anywhere else in this town for that matter,” sighed Lee amusingly.  
Rosemary smiled and kissed her husband, “You’re such a good sport about it though. It’s what makes you a good Daddy.”  
“Well, I try,” smiled Lee. He kissed her abdomen, “And I’ll play tea party with you too, Little Lady.”  
“ _Or_ he’ll play catch with you and help you build things if you’re a boy, just like he does with your big brother,” said Rosemary.   
“Well, I guess we still have twenty-three more weeks until we find out,” said Lee.  
“Yep,” said Rosemary, “I can’t wait,” she snuggled next to him, “I love you, honey.”  
“I love you too, sweetheart.”  
******************************************************************************  
“So Rosie really doesn’t understand how Lilly got such a big personality or where she gets her bluntness?” asked Jack in surprise.   
“Nope, no clue whatsoever,” Elizabeth laughed and shook her head, “I don’t think she quite understands the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.”  
“Well at least Aaron is laid-back, quiet, and relaxed, almost like Lee…” Jack trailed off suddenly.  
“I don’t know how they managed to do, babe, but Lee and Rosemary created mini thems,” said Elizabeth.   
Jack laughed a little as the couple heard a telegram come into the machine. Jack got up from his place on the sofa and read the note. He choked back a few tears and gained a look of concern, “What is it, Jack?” asked Elizabeth as she got up as well.  
Jack looked up at his wife and took a deep breath, “We’re going.”  
“To where?” asked Elizabeth, crossing her arms over her chest.  
“Saskatchewan.”   
It finally hit Elizabeth as to what Jack meant and she began to cry, “Oh Jack,” she sobbed, throwing her arms around him and he embraced her back, finally letting the tears spill loose.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before you all get mad at me, I can assure you that Jack WILL NOT die in this story (or any of my stories, for that matter), but this _is_ the reality of Mountie and military families.


	32. Chapter 32

Elizabeth hadn’t slept a wink that night and Jack hadn’t gotten much sleep either. William had lived through two of Jack’s deployments so far, but that wouldn’t make it any easier on him. And the twins? Oh goodness, Mary and Charlotte had never had to deal with their Daddy leaving. They still had a week left with Jack as he would leave on Saturday, but Elizabeth knew very well how quickly this week would fly by. How would they let the rest of Hope Valley know? She knew that Jack and she would have to tell the kids first so that way they would hear it from their parents and not from someone else in town. Then they’d probably break the news to Abigail and Frank, possibly Rosemary and Lee. Oh dear, Rosemary. The poor dear already had enough on her plate with the new house, two kids, and preparing for the new baby, and now her closest friend in Hope Valley besides Lee was going away on another dangerous assignment for an indefinite amount of time. No matter who it was they were telling, one thing was for sure: there would be a lot of tears.  
Sunday morning finally arrived and Jack and Elizabeth woke up bright and early, though Elizabeth had slept about 90 minutes over the course of the night. William and Jack both got ready and Elizabeth helped the girls get dressed before the two parents led them into the living room. They had them sit down on the couch in between Jack and Elizabeth, “Daddy, what’s wrong?” asked William. The eight year old was very much like Aaron Coulter: he was sensitive and always in tune to other people’s feelings.  
Jack choked back a few tears and began, “Listen, guys, first of all, I want you to know that I love you all very much. Nothing would make me happier than to stay here in Hope Valley and be your Daddy. But, as a Mountie, it’s also my job to protect Canada from dangerous people. And right now, there are bad guys in Northern Saskatchewan and they want me to go and help fight them.”  
Mary began to tear up and looked up at Elizabeth, “Mommy, is Daddy going away?”  
Elizabeth held back her own tears and nodded, “Yes, sweetheart, he’s going away.”   
“But…but…I don’t want Daddy to go. He promised to help us find Easter eggs at the Easter egg hunt. And he reads us bedtime stories,” Charlotte’s lip quivered.  
“I know he did, but I can help you do both of those things,” Elizabeth tried to comfort them.  
“But it’s not fair! Uncle Lee never goes away! Pastor Frank never goes away! Mr. Cantrell only went away once!” screamed William.  
“Guys, GUYS!” Jack raised his voice firmly to get their attention. All three children quieted down and looked at their father, “Listen,” Jack lowed his voice and looked into their eyes compassionately, “I know it’s not easy for you all when I go away, but bad things happen when good people do nothing. It pains me to have to leave you guys, but right now, families like ours in Saskatchewan need the help of good guys like me to fight the bad guys. I know we can all be strong and get through this because we’re Thorntons and Thorntons never give up hope.”   
They all nodded, though Jack and Elizabeth could still see how upset they were, “How long will you be gone, Daddy?” asked William softly.  
Jack sighed and laid a hand on William’s shoulder, “I don’t know yet, Buddy. Could be a week, could be a month, could be a year, maybe longer.”   
William nodded, not entirely satisfied. He hated it when his father had to leave. Elizabeth glanced at the time, “Come on, guys. We have to get to church.”  
******************************************************************************  
Everyone in church could tell that something was off with the Thornton family, but nobody could put their finger on what it was. It looked as if all five of them had been crying and William and Mary still had tears in their eyes. Jack never let go of Elizabeth’s hand the entire service. Coincidently, Frank’s service was about fighting the forces of evil in their lives. After church was over, everyone gathered at Abigail’s for brunch and fellowship. Once Jack and Elizabeth arrived, Elizabeth motioned for William, Mary, and Charlotte to join Lilly and Aaron in play, “Go wait with Uncle Lee and Aunt Rosemary while Mommy and Daddy talk to Aunt Abigail and Pastor Frank, okay?”  
They nodded glumly and joined the Coulter children. Rosemary couldn’t help but follow her gaze over towards where Jack and Elizabeth had pulled Abigail and Frank aside. After a few more moments of conversation, Abigail gained a look of sympathy, throwing her arms around a sobbing Elizabeth. Frank laid a hand on Jack’s shoulder. Both men were maintaining their composure, but they had sullen looks on their faces.  
“Oh no,” Rosemary whispered to herself.  
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” asked Lee, taking her hand in his.  
Rosemary glanced over at Lee and she had tears forming in her eyes. She hadn’t even told Lee nor Lilly and Aaron about the possibility of Jack leaving. She didn’t think it would actually happen, “Nothing, honey, it’s not my news to tell.”   
Lee knew Rosemary was lying to him, but he didn’t want to force her to talk right now. He would try to find out once they got home, “Okay.”   
Jack and Elizabeth walked back over to Rosie and Lee, both of their eyes tear-stained. Rosemary stood, struggling to hold back tears of her own. She threw her arms around Jack and he embraced her back, “Promise me you’ll be careful.”  
“I promise, Rosie,” said Jack.  
Lee glanced over at Elizabeth, “What’s going on?” he asked quietly.   
“Rosemary didn’t tell you?” asked Elizabeth in surprise. Lee shook his head in the negative, “Jack’s going to northern Saskatchewan to fight criminal gangs.”   
“Oh,” Lee responded, “No, she never mentioned it. She’s been tossing and turning a lot all week, but I just assumed it was because of the growing baby.”   
“I told her when it was only a possibility. We didn’t mean to tell anyone, but I just kind of blurted it out unintentionally. We found out for certain last night,” a tear escaped Elizabeth’s eye.  
“Oh, I’m so sorry Elizabeth,” Lee comforted. Jack and Rosemary joined their spouses and Lee wrapped his arm around Rosemary, “Honey, why didn’t you tell me?”  
“I didn’t want to worry you if it didn’t happen. I know how close you and Jack are,” Rosemary sniffled.   
“Mommy, why are you crying?” asked Aaron worriedly.  
Rosemary and Lee sighed, “We should probably tell them at home,” said Lee.  
Rosie nodded and embraced Jack and Elizabeth, “When are you leaving and how long will you be gone?” she asked quietly.  
“I’ll be leaving on Saturday. And it’s an indefinite posting,” answered Jack. Rosemary nodded.  
“We’re going to tell everyone in a few moments have Frank say a prayer for Jack, but if you want to go we understand,” Elizabeth rubbed Rosemary’s arm.  
“Thank you,” Rosemary replied softly. The Coulters left for home and Jack made an announcement to the other Hope Valley residents.  
Everyone linked hands and Frank began the prayer, “Dear God, We ask that You watch over Constable Jack Thornton as he prepares to go fight in Saskatchewan. We ask that You watch over his wife, Elizabeth, and his children, William, Mary, and Charlotte as they cope with his absence. We ask that You bring comfort to Hope Valley as we temporarily say goodbye to our dear friend. And also watch the families in northern Saskatchewan affected by the fighting. We ask this in Your Son’s Name. Amen.”  
“AMEN.”   
******************************************************************************  
The next day at school, everyone went about their days as usual and Bill and Gowen promised Jack to continue work on the house so it would be completed in time for summer. Gowen also sent a telegram to Harry in Toronto asking if he would come to Hope Valley for a few weeks to help with the construction, though he had yet to hear back from his cousin. The kids also did a lot to help cheer up Elizabeth. They were all secretly working on ‘We Love You, Mrs. Thornton’ and ‘We’ll Miss You, Mountie Jack’ banners for Jack’s farewell gathering that Abigail was planning for Friday. Unfortunately, Lilly and Aaron had something else on their minds, and they wanted to talk to their Godmother about it after school.  
Once Elizabeth dismissed her students for the day, Lilly and Aaron stayed behind. Elizabeth went to erase the chalkboard and noticed the two of them standing at her desk, “Lilly, Aaron, what’s up?”  
“Aunt Elizabeth, can we talk to you about something?” asked Aaron. He had an anxious look in his eyes.   
“Of course,” said Elizabeth, “William, can you go wait outside for me, please? We’ll leave in a few minutes.”  
“Alright,” he sighed and left.  
Elizabeth’s heart broke. William wasn’t taking the news of Jack’s upcoming departure very well. He had wanted to sleep in their bed the night beforehand and he hadn’t done so since he was five. Elizabeth turned to Lilly and Aaron and asked, “So what’s wrong?”  
“It’s Mommy,” said Lilly, “She’s really sad about Uncle Jack leaving. She pretended she wasn’t all of yesterday, but you know Mommy is a really good actress. After she thought we were asleep, Aaron and I snuck outside of Mommy and Daddy’s room and she was crying a lot and also,” Lilly looked down sadly, “She was getting sick. Daddy says it’s because of the baby in her belly, but she hasn’t gotten sick since before Valentine’s Day.”  
“Oh, I see,” said Elizabeth.  
“Aunt Elizabeth, how do we make Mommy feel better?” asked Aaron.  
“Well, you can give your Mommy lots of hugs and kisses. Maybe snuggle with her a lot. And you can help Mommy around the house: do your chores without being told, set the table for dinner, don’t talk back to her, maybe make her a nice card. I’m sure she’d love that,” listed Elizabeth, “But in some cases, I think it’s better if you let Daddy take care of her too.”  
“Okay,” they both sighed, not entirely satisfied. They were just about to set off for home when they both heard a noise around the corner. Was it a meow? Lilly tilted her head a little listening harder, “Meow,” they heard again, “Come on,” Lilly ushered Aaron around the corner.  
“Lilly, Mommy will be mad if we get home late,” said Aaron, but Lilly wasn’t listening. He sighed and shook his head, but followed Lilly anyways.  
Once they reached the source of the noise, the siblings noticed an orange tabby cat. The one glanced over at Lilly and proudly strutted to her, “Hey there kitty!” said Lilly happily lifting her into her arms, “I think you’re a girl cat.”  
“How do you know that?” asked Aaron.  
“Uncle Jack taught me how to tell the difference between boy cats and girl cats. He had cats growing up in Ottawa with Mommy,” Lilly proudly told her brother. They heard another purr but it wasn’t coming from the cat currently in Lilly’s arms. They looked and saw another orange tabby cat hiding behind the bushes, “Oh there’s another one! Here kitty, kitty!” said Lilly, but it sulked back a little, “It think it’s kind of shy. Here hold her while I got get it!”  
Aaron reluctantly took the cat and wrinkled his nose, “She’s kind of heavy.”   
Lilly wasn’t listening though as she was crawling behind the bush to get the other cat, but it wouldn’t go near her. After a few more attempts, Lilly huffed and took the first cat from Aaron, “You try,” she ordered.  
Aaron agreed, if only because Lilly was pretty bossy and he didn’t feel like fighting. He crouched down and the cat looked up into his brown eyes. It immediately walked over to him and jumped in his arms, “What is it?”  
Lilly checked, “It’s a boy cat.”  
“Well, what are we going to do with them exactly?” asked Aaron curiously.  
Lilly started to walk towards their house and smiled, “We’re going to cheer Mommy up with them.”   
******************************************************************************  
Once the Coulter children arrived home, Lilly eagerly opened the door, “Mommy, we’re home!” Aaron walked over to the couch and began to pet the one cat’s head; Lilly set the other one down on the floor.  
Rosemary came down the stairs, “Lilly, Aaron there you…oh dear!” Rosemary observed her daughter, her dress and her blonde hair caked in mud and leaves, “Lilly Bug, how did you get so sticky?!” she picked a few leaves out of her daughter’s hair. Rosemary felt something rubbing against her leg and noticed a cat, “Lillian Naomi Coulter, why is there a cat in our house?”  
“Not just one, Aaron has one too!” she pointed over to the settee.  
Rosemary glanced over at her son, who was also covered in mud, petting another cat in his lap, “Oh dear, another sticky Coulter getting mud all over our white settee,” Rosemary stopped talking before she lost her cool.   
“We wanted to make you feel better about Uncle Jack leaving, so Lilly thought we should bring them home,” said Aaron.  
Rosemary sighed. Her sweet little children, their big hearts exploding in vast ways. Lilly thinking of an extravagant way to make her happy again (honestly, Rosemary was REALLY starting to wonder where her daughter came up with these grand ideas)! She looked down at the one cat rubbing against her leg. It seemed pretty attached to her already (a little pompous sure, but it seemed sweet enough), “Well, they are kind of cute,” she picked up the one and noticed it was female. The one with Aaron rolled over on the couch and Rosie observed it was male.   
“Mommy, can we keep them!” Lilly pleaded, showing off her puppy dog eyes.  
“Yeah, can we?” begged Aaron.   
“Well…” Rosemary hesitated, “I’ll check with Daddy but we are moving into a bigger house and we’ll have more room, so I don’t see why not.”   
“YEAH!” they both cheered happily.  
“Now, go upstairs so I can give you both a bath and wash your sticky little fingers,” instructed Rosemary. The kids disappeared upstairs, “And the sticky clothes, and the sticky cats, and the sticky, white settee,” she said to herself.   
******************************************************************************  
Lee arrived home fairly late that night. Rosemary knew he was going to miss dinner though, so he wouldn’t be in the doghouse this time. He went upstairs and checked on the kids. He found them both asleep so he went to the main bedroom, where he was greeted by…a cat? He must be hallucinating, “Rosie?” he didn’t even bother to look up at her, “Please explain?”  
“Oh that’s just Romeo,” he heard her voice.   
He already had a name? This might not end well. He glanced up and noticed there was another cat on the bed with Rosie and it was using her baby bump as a head rest, “And what’s that one’s name?” he gestured towards the other cat.  
“Juliet,” answered Rosemary.   
“Um sweetheart, why are there two cats in our room?” he asked, slowly changing into his pajamas.  
“Oh the kids found them and brought them home. Aren’t they the sweetest?” Rosie beamed. Juliet purred in satisfaction, “This one really likes attention and compliments. And Romeo has been pretty shy but he’s seemed to take a liking to you,” Rosemary noticed Romeo rubbing against Lee’s leg.   
Lee sighed and scooped Romeo into his arms. He placed him on the bed and crawled in next to Rosie, “Rosie, we can’t keep them.”  
“Why not?” she frowned.  
“Because, I’m sure they belong to someone. And we’d have to find a vet, and buy them food and other pet supplies, not to mention…” he rolled Juliet onto her back, “I think Romeo and Juliet might be a little bit too apropos of names.”  
Rosie scowled, “Why?”  
“You see those darkened nipples and that rounded stomach?” Lee pointed. Rosie nodded, “This cat’s expecting kittens.”  
“What?!” asked Rosemary surprised, “How do you know?”  
“I grew up on a farm, Rosie. I was around a lot of mating animals, including cats,” informed Lee.  
“What ever happened to the man who wanted two cats and five kids?!” asked Rosemary. Oh, sure, she wasn’t going to give Lee five kids; her childbearing days would be retired after this one. But the plethora of cats could make up for it.   
“Rosie, can we discuss this in the morning?” asked Lee.   
“Fine,” Rosemary huffed. Juliet hissed at Lee and Rosemary scratched her head, “Yeah, I know. Daddy should be more considerate of us Coulter women who are bringing new life into this world,” she rolled over so her back was towards Lee and Juliet jumped over her and cuddled next to her.  
Lee sighed, rolled to other side, and finally succumbed to Romeo’s fight for space on the bed. He had let her know he was going to be late and he was still in the doghouse. Or more accurately, cathouse.


	33. Chapter 33

Abigail was spending the evening sorting some of the donations they had already received from the Lenten Drive at the church while Frank helped Becky with her science homework. It was a Sunday night, so the crowds at the café were slow and nothing Clara couldn’t handle by herself. She was quietly organizing the clothing when she heard Cody’s voice, “Mom?”  
She looked up at him, “Yes, Cody?”  
“Can I talk to you about something?” he asked.  
“Of course, sweetheart,” she patted the couch next to her.  
Cody came over to her and started helping his mother fold the skirts, pants, and shirts that had been donated. He didn’t say anything for several moments until he broke the silence, “I’m really going to miss Mountie Jack.”  
Abigail turned to her son and rubbed his shoulder, “I know you are. We all will miss him.”  
“It won’t be the same on Saturdays when Mr. Coulter, William, Aaron, and I go outside to play catch and Mountie Jack’s not there. And it’ll be different at school because Mrs. Thornton will be sad. I mean, she’ll hide it for us and her kids, but I remember from when Mountie Jack went to the Northern Territories and on that training assignment.”  
“No, it won’t be the same,” agreed Abigail, “But we’ll all be praying for his safe return.”  
Cody stayed silent a little while longer composing his thoughts, “Seeing Mrs. Thornton sad makes me want to do something for her. Like when you and Dad do something for those who need it. But I don’t know what to do. I can’t keep Mountie Jack from leaving.”   
Abigail smiled and hugged Cody, “Cody Hogan, if it’s one thing I know about you, it’s that you’ve gained that wonderful, giving spirit Hope Valley has since your father and I adopted you. I know you’ll be able to think of something to help Mrs. Thornton. Maybe you can talk to Becky about it and see what she thinks.”  
Cody beamed, “Maybe after she gets done with her homework, I can ask her what she thinks. Thanks Mom,” Cody went to leave.  
“Hey young man, a lot of clothes still need to be sorted,” she scolded amusingly.  
Cody went back over to Abigail and promptly began to help fold them again, “Sorry Mom.”  
******************************************************************************  
Over the next few days, Lee checked with every animal shelter and area within a certain distance from Hope Valley to see if they were missing two orange tabby cats. None of them were, but one shelter in Cape Fullerton offered to take them. Of course, his family was slowly wearing him down in regards to keeping Romeo and Juliet (Rosemary must’ve come up with those names). Rosemary, Lillian, and even Aaron were silently begging to keep the cats. It wasn’t really outright asking, but it was through these little gestures of affection whenever the cats were brought into the discussion: a sweet smile from Lilly here, a hug or kiss from Aaron there, and a quick lunch break at home with Rosemary as the icing on the cake. Finally, since it did seem like the cats were genuinely stray cats and he didn’t want to disappoint his family (curse his big and loving heart, just like the rest of them), he agreed to make Romeo and Juliet the official Coulter family cats. The kittens that Juliet was carrying, they would be a different conversation.   
When he had told everyone that Wednesday that it was okay to keep the cats, the house exploded with excitement. Lilly and Aaron loved animals and Rosie did as well; Lee had learned early on in their marriage, if she saw a kid, she would generally run the other way unless it was one of theirs. If it was an animal, she would run after it and try to hold it. It would be like herding, well, a cat. They had been squeezed in for an appointment at a vet in Cape Fullerton that Saturday, but for now, Rosie had made sure to spend her Wednesday off buying necessary supplies for their new pets: cat food, bowls, collars, litter boxes and kitty litter, cat carriers, nail clippers, feline hair brushes, several toys, and beds for them to sleep on, though she had the feeling in true Coulter fashion, they’d do whatever they pleased. Of course, Rosie also picked up a new toy train for Aaron, a few new doll house furniture pieces for Lillian, and a rattle and activity mat for the baby.   
Though there was a lot of excitement in the Coulter house with their newest furry additions, Lee noticed something was slightly off with Rosemary. Ever since she had found out about Jack’s upcoming deployment, she wasn’t quite as perky as she normally was. He knew she was hiding her anxiety from him, but no matter how good of an actress she was, it wasn’t working. Her morning sickness had returned with a vengeance, and her nausea and vomiting had never extended past the first trimester when she had been pregnant with Lilly and Aaron. If she was eating, she was back to nibbling on crackers before getting out of bed in the morning and would sometimes only be able to eat smaller, more frequent bland meals throughout the day. She also hadn’t been sleeping well at all. Sure, she had had the strange hormone-induced pregnancy dreams the other times, but they had rarely caused her to wake up screaming and crying in the middle of the night. Thankfully, Lee would be able to help her get back to sleep along with petting Juliet (the tabby had clearly taken a liking to both Rosemary and Lillian).   
Thursday morning, the day before Jack’s farewell gathering, Lee woke up and noticed Rosemary was already up and out of bed. The kids also weren’t in their room, so he figured she had started on breakfast. He got dressed and went downstairs, only to be greeted by Romeo. Lee smiled at him. He had to admit, it was nice that Romeo had seemed to become attached to him, because he seemed pretty shy around everyone else. Juliet, on the other hand, loved being the center of attention. Lee looked over towards the breakfast table where Lilly and Aaron were happily chowing down on their French toast, but Rosemary was picking at her oatmeal. Once Lilly and Aaron left for school, Lee decided it was time to talk to his wife. He sat down at the table and grabbed her hand, “Honey, is everything alright?”  
“Yeah,” she sighed, “I don’t know why, but I have morning sickness again all of a sudden. The thought of eating much makes my stomach do back-flips.”   
“You’ve been waking up crying in the middle of the night,” he commented.  
“Just have a lot on my mind, Lee,” she said a little irritated.  
“Honey, do you want to talk about it while the kids aren’t around?” asked Lee, squeezing her hand.   
A few tears formed in Rosemary’s eyes, “N-No, not right now anyways. I promise, I’ll talk to you tonight, but right now I need to discuss it with someone else.”   
Lee sighed, but nodded in agreement, “Okay,” he put on his coat and grabbed his briefcase, “Have a good day, sweetheart. I love you,” he kissed her.  
“Love you too,” she said and he left, “But you probably won’t love me when you find out what I’ve been dreaming,” she whispered to herself. She put on her coat, grabbed her clutch, and made sure Romeo and Juliet were content before she left for his office.   
Once she arrived, she quietly knocked on the door, “Come in,” he called. Rosemary hesitantly opened the door and he looked up at her, “Rosie?”   
“Jack, we need to talk.”


	34. Chapter 34

Jack slowly got up from his chair and put the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign on the front door. He gestured for Rosemary to sit down in the chair in front of his desk and he pulled his chair around to the front of it as well, “Rosie, what’s wrong?”  
Rosemary took an uneasy breath and started to cry a little, “I haven’t told anyone this, not even Lee. Well, you know that pregnant women can have really vivid and bizarre dreams because of the hormones,” she began.  
Of course, Jack didn’t know exactly what she meant, but he remembered Elizabeth having some unusual dreams when she had been expecting, “Yes.”   
“I can’t tell Lee about these dreams I’ve been having because it’s too weird to tell him, I can’t talk to Elizabeth because of everything on her mind, plus it would be weird to tell her, and I don’t want to tell Abigail or Pastor Frank because I don’t want them to judge me or think I’m being unfaithful to Lee. I mean, I would never think about being unfaithful to him, he’s my husband, the love of my life, the father of my children…”  
“Rosie,” Jack interrupted her and took her hand, “You can’t control what you dream sometimes. Now what’s going on?”   
Rosemary wiped away a few tears, “Ever since Elizabeth told me about the possibility of you deploying and then when it was confirmed on Sunday, I’ve been having these nightmares that something serious happens to you and I can’t save you. You get a head injury.”  
“Well, what about Elizabeth?” asked Jack curiously.  
“She’s not in them,” said Rosemary.  
Jack furrowed his brow, “Why not?”  
“Because we’re married in them,” Rosemary blurted out. Jack opened and closed his mouth a few times, but nothing came out, “Exactly why I’m afraid to tell anyone else,” Rosemary pointed a finger at her friend.   
Jack took a deep breath to process her confession. He knew she no longer harbored feelings for him, at least in that sense. He knew how in love Rosemary and Lee were; her visible baby bump was proof of that. But he knew why Rosemary was worried about him. The same ambush that had claimed the life of Constable Thomas Thornton had nearly claimed the life of Constable Francois LeVeaux. Rosemary’s father had lived, but he had sustained a serious head injury that had a two-year recovery period; even then, he had been stationed in Ottawa and never saw combat again. Due to what happened to Thomas Thornton and what nearly happened to her father, Rosemary had been devastated when she found out Jack was joining the Mounties and she had nearly broken off their courtship then until he asked her to marry him. Her escape to New York City wasn’t just because of her self-centeredness (okay, it partially was), but she also knew deep down, she could never handle being a Mountie wife. She didn’t have the same strength the same way Elizabeth Thatcher-Thornton had. She would never be a good single mother; heck, half the time, she didn’t feel like a good mother at all and the most amount of time Lee would leave would be an overnight trip for a business deal.   
After a few more moments of uncomfortable silence, Jack laid his hands on Rosemary’s shoulders, “You know what gets you through the really tough times,” he commented.   
Rosemary nodded, “Yes, I pray with the one Papa gave to me. The one he believed saved him in that ambush. It got me through my depression and both times you were away,” Rosemary took a deep breath.  
“You also need to tell Lee about the dreams,” said Jack, “He’s not going to get jealous Rosie.”  
“I know,” she sighed, though there was a lump forming in the back of her throat. She heaved a sigh and said, “Thank you for listening,” she embraced him.  
“Anytime,” he said softly, embracing her back.  
“Now I have to get home and make sure Romeo and Juliet aren’t getting into any trouble,” said Rosemary.  
“Romeo and Juliet?” asked Jack confused, “Who are Romeo and Juliet? And don’t tell me the lead characters in a Shakespeare tragedy.”   
“Our cats,” replied Rosemary.  
“Since when did you guys have cats?” asked Jack in amusement.  
“Since Monday when Lilly and Aaron brought them home. They’re the sweetest little things. Romeo’s kind of shy but he’s seemed to have warmed-up to Lee and Aaron. Juliet loves to be the center of attention. Walks around and acts like she already owns the place,” Rosemary waved her hand in the air. Jack snickered and Rosemary glared at him, “And even more exciting is Juliet is expecting kittens!”  
“Really?” asked Jack, raising an eyebrow.   
“Yes, really!” Rosie bounced as best as she could, “Well, if nothing else, I’ll see you at the farewell tomorrow.”  
“Bye Rosie,” waved Jack and she left. He shook his head in hilarity and said to himself, “Only those two could have kids like their parents and cats like their owners.”   
******************************************************************************  
Once Rosemary arrived back home, she glanced over towards the corner where Romeo was happily grooming himself. She had already learned to let him come to her so she didn’t bother him. She really didn’t have any laundry to do and she was starving from having eaten very little breakfast, so she decided to make herself a small sandwich before going upstairs. She observed the kids’ room and it was complete and total mess as per usual. One thing she had learned early on in parenting was to pick your battles and as long as the toys were contained to their room, she didn’t complain too much. But they hadn’t bothered to make their beds. Nor had they bothered to pick up any of their toys. At least all of that nesting energy was useful for one thing. She did a thorough cleaning of Lilly and Aaron’s room and the bathroom before deciding to also clean her and Lee’s room. She rearranged their closet for the fourth time that month, making a point to hide Lee’s plaid pants towards the back, hoping he wouldn’t notice. She also made an attempt to organize his paperwork on the desk. Seriously, how DID Lee Coulter find anything? She was just finishing dusting some of the furniture when she heard the front door open. Strange. The kids wouldn’t be home for another two hours and Lee wouldn’t be home for another three hours. She heard someone come up the stairs and turned to find her husband standing in the doorway, “Lee, what are you doing home?”   
“Everything is pretty much caught up at the mill and we’re not overly busy, so…” Lee shrugged his shoulders, “I don’t know, I just had this sense that you need me more right now.” Rosemary nodded appreciatively and sat down on the bed and Lee sat down next to her. She rubbed his leg, but didn’t say anything. Lee tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear, “I went to see Jack about these dreams I’ve been having,” she admitted.   
Lee nodded his understanding, “The ones that have been causing you to wake up in the middle of the night?”  
“Yeah,” she confirmed.   
“Honey, why didn’t you want to tell me?” asked Lee with compassion.  
“Because…” she hesitated, “Because Jack and I…Jack and I are married in them,” she hastily spilt out, “And…and he keeps getting seriously injured. A head injury,” Lee stayed silent but nodded his understanding, “Lee, I don’t know why I keep having these dreams. I would NEVER think about doing that to you, I would never leave you or be unfaithful to you…”   
“I know, sweetheart. I’m not worried about that. I know you’d never do that to me,” he glanced down and placed his hand on her swelling belly, “This right here is physical proof about how much we love each other. And the other two will be walking through the front door in a few hours,” Rosemary chuckled, “I guess I’m worried about why you’re having these types of dreams.”  
Rosemary sighed, feeling she knew why. She got up from her place on the bed and went over to her nightstand. She opened the drawer, the drawer that contained her Bible and well as a small pouch. She picked up the pouch and opened it, revealing the contents inside it. Lee knew she had it, Jack knew she had it, but nobody else in Hope Valley knew she did. It was an aspect of her Quebecois heritage that she always hid from the rest of the town for fear of being ostracized. She sat back down next to Lee and asked, “Well, you remember my Papa served in the Mounties with Jack’s father, right?”  
“Yeah, that’s how you guys knew each other before coming to Hope Valley,” responded Lee.   
“And you remember that Jack’s father died when we were ten?” asked Rosie. Lee nodded again. A few tears formed in Rosie’s eyes, “Papa was in that same ambush that killed Jack’s father.”   
“Did he?”  
“No,” Rosemary shook her head, “But he did sustain a serious head injury. It took him two years to recover from it; even then, he never saw combat again. He had to relearn so much, basic things that we all take for granted. How to walk, how to use writing and eating utensils, and plenty of other simple, every day actions. It’s a miracle Papa survived, let alone recovered. He thinks that his good luck charm that he carried with him is the reason he survived,” Rosemary handed Lee the Rosary in her hand, “Once we moved to Ottawa, I had so much trouble adjusting. It was such a huge culture shock. At the time, I didn’t speak English very well. I mean, Maman and Papa were bilingual, but we spoke French at home. Most everyone in Quebec was Catholic and most everyone in rural Ontario was Protestant. I didn’t fit in; Jack and Tom were my only friends, so Papa gave me his Rosary for my thirteenth birthday. And whenever I felt overwhelmed with life, I would always say a decade or two, just like I do now. Jack’s the only person besides you who knows about my Catholic roots, I just raise the kids Protestant because it’s just as easy here,” Rosie poured out to Lee, “I guess, every time Jack goes away, it just brings back that time in my life that I really don’t want to remember.”  
Lee took Rosemary’s hand in his, “Honey, why didn’t you tell me?”  
“I don’t know. I guess because I don’t want it to seem like I’m pining after an ex-fiancé and I don’t want to damage your friendship with him.”   
“Well, you’re not the only one who will be worrying about him. We all will,” Lee wrapped his arm around her and she leaned into his embrace. He kissed her temple and they stayed that way for a few moments before they heard meowing coming from the floor. They glanced down and Juliet was making a valiant effort to jump onto the bed without much luck.  
“Come here, sweetheart,” Rosie lifted her onto the bed and began scratching behind her ears, much to Juliet’s satisfaction, “I know it’s not easy to walk around with a watermelon on the front of you.”  
“But it’ll be worth it,” Lee rubbed Juliet's back, “For both of you,” he directed his comment towards Rosie.   
“MOMMY, WE’RE HOME!” they heard Lilly’s voice.  
“WE HAVE SOMETHING FOR YOU!” Aaron called excitedly.  
“Dear Lord, please don’t let it be another animal,” Rosemary muttered under her breath and Lee laughed. Their dear children, ever since they could walk almost, had this bad habit of bringing home animals: spiders, butterflies, rabbits, birds, squirrels, you name it, they tried to bring it home (and keep it). Lee kissed her and said, “Go see what they have for you. I’m going to start getting organized for tomorrow.”  
Rosemary squeezed his hand and put the Rosary back in the drawer. When Rosie went downstairs, she looked around and thankfully, the only animal she saw was Romeo happily purring in Aaron’s lap.   
“Hi Mommy!” Lilly hugged her.  
“Hi Lilly Bug,” she kissed the top of her daughter’s head.  
“How’s the baby?” Lilly asked cutely.  
The baby kicked and Rosie smiled, “Baby just let me know he or she is happy to see you. Now what did you want to show me?”  
“We made these for you!” Lilly jumped up and down eagerly. Aaron and she each handed Rosie a picture.  
“Aunt Elizabeth said we could draw them during art time,” explained Aaron.  
Rosemary looked at the drawings. Aaron’s had a picture of her and him and said, ‘Feel Better Mommy’ and Lilly’s was a picture of the whole family including the new baby and Romeo and Juliet and said, ‘We Love You Mommy’. Tears came to Rosemary’s eyes. She couldn’t wait until she had the baby so she wouldn’t cry at the drop of a hat again. She wrapped her arms around both of them, “I love you both so much!”  
“We love you too.”   
“ROSIE, WHERE ARE MY PLAID PANTS?!” the other three Coulters all looked at each other and laughed hysterically.


	35. Chapter 35

The morning of Jack’s farewell dinner, most everyone in Hope Valley was on edge. The town never liked saying goodbye to their beloved Mountie, but they knew he had to leave them for the greater good. The Thornton children woke up early on Friday morning, they hadn’t been sleeping well for the past few nights. Elizabeth had agreed to let William stay home from school and spend the day with Jack and she would catch him up on his lessons over the weekend. She wanted him to be able to spend his last full day with his Dad before he went away. Next door, things weren’t any happier. Though the Coulter house normally had four very bouncy, happy-go-lucky individuals, Rosemary’s morning sickness was still present despite the fact that she was talking through her reservations with Jack and Lee. Lillian and Aaron hadn’t failed to notice the change in their mother. Lee was up making the kids’ lunches when Lilly came down the stairs, “Morning Princess,” he smiled.  
“Good morning,” she said sadly.   
Lee couldn’t help but feel concerned. Usually Lilly was bouncing off the walls. He set some cereal down in front of her and asked, “Lilly, sweetheart, what’s wrong?”  
Lilly looked up at Lee with tears in her eyes, “I thought Mommy was feeling better but now she’s getting sick all the time again and it scares me.”  
It scared Lee too. Rosemary hadn’t ever gotten morning sickness past the first trimester with Lilly and Aaron. He knew that every woman and every pregnancy was different, but he still hated watching her hug the buckets every morning and choke down dinner every night when they both thought she was passed that, “Well, every time a mommy has a baby in her tummy things can change. Sometimes mommies can feel sick the entire time until she has the baby,” explained Lee.   
“Oh,” answered Lilly. She stirred her spoon in her bowl, “I don’t think we’ve made Mommy feel better.”  
Lee raised his eyebrows, “Princess, of course you’ve both helped make Mommy feel better. Why would you think otherwise?”  
“Because she still cries a lot and she’s still sad about Uncle Jack leaving,” said Lilly, “Even though we made her those pictures and gave her lots of hugs and kisses and brought home Romeo and Juliet.”  
Romeo meowed at that moment, reminding Lee to fill the cats’ food and water bowls since Rosemary couldn’t stand the smell of it right now. He sat back down, “And Mommy really appreciates it. But she’s just sad about Uncle Jack leaving because they’re good friends. It would be like William or Cody or Becky going away for a really long time,” Lilly nodded again. Lee could tell something was still up with his daughter, “Lilly, is there something else on your mind?”   
Lilly wanted to say something more, but just then Aaron came down the stairs followed by Rosemary still clad in her nightgown. She felt if she started talking, she would start to cry, and then her Mommy would start crying, so she shook her head, “No.”  
Lilly and Aaron finished their breakfast and grabbed their books before kissing Lee and Rosemary goodbye, “Have a good day at school Kiddos,” said Lee.   
“Bye Daddy,” they both said.   
Aaron quickly hugged Rosie and left, but Lilly hung back a while longer, “Lilly Bug, are you alright?” asked Rosemary.  
“Yeah,” answered Lilly, though Lee and Rosemary could tell she was lying, “I love you, Mommy. I love you, Daddy.”  
“We love you too, Princess,” said Lee. The kids left and Rosemary took a shaky breath, “Hey,” Lee laid a hand on the small of her back, “Do you need me to stay home with you today?”  
Rosemary shook her head, “Um, no. Actually, I was planning on getting dressed and then going to Abigail’s for some breakfast. I really wanted to be able to talk to her about something plus I really feel I need to get out some.”  
Lee nodded, though he wasn’t completely relieved, “Alright then,” he put on his coat, grabbed his briefcase, and kissed her, “I love you.”  
“I love you too,” she kissed him back.  
He bent down and kissed her abdomen, “I love you too, little one. Behave for Mommy today.”  
The baby kicked some more, a little harder this time, and Rosie grabbed Lee’s hand, placing it on her protrusion, “It doesn’t seem like this baby is listening,” she smirked.  
“Well, he or she will fit in with the rest of us,” he chuckled, “But that just made my day. I’ll see you at the farewell.”  
Rosemary watched her husband leave and went back upstairs to get ready to go to the café. There was something she really wanted to discuss with Abigail, as she had been a pillar of strength for her the first time she had battled it. She washed her hair, brushed her teeth, and washed her face before she went back to her room. She undressed and glanced in the mirror before she proceeded to get dressed for the day. Her bump was very noticeable now, which wasn’t a huge surprise given the fact that this was her third pregnancy and Faith had warned her she’d show much earlier than with Lilly and even Aaron. The kids were fascinated with her bump and watching their sibling grow; they would lie with her feeling the baby kicks and talking to the baby as if it was already in the room with all of them. Rosemary had to admit, despite the obstacles she had faced with her kids earlier, they were going to be a wonderful big sister and big brother to this baby. It still didn’t make the changes in her body any easier to take. She knew it was for a good reason, and maybe it was tied to her feeling the need to look model perfect on stage during her time on Broadway, but she always struggled to accept the concept that her pregnant body was beautiful, no matter how many times Lee or anyone else in Hope Valley tried to convince her otherwise. She took a deep breath and got dressed before heading over to the café, where the breakfast rush was just clearing out. Unfortunately, the lingering smell of coffee was causing Rosemary’s stomach to churn a little, “Rosemary!” Abigail greeted happily, hugging the younger woman, “What brings you by this morning?”  
“Um, can we talk about something in private? I don’t really want to worry Lee about this yet if it’s nothing,” said Rosemary.  
“Sure, I should be getting a little bit of a break now that the breakfast crowd is gone,” said Abigail. Rosemary followed Abigail to the back room and Abigail asked, “Do you want something to eat? Did you want some coffee?”  
Rosemary covered her mouth and silently gaged a little when Abigail mentioned coffee. She choked down the bile coming up her throat and shook her head, “Um, no thank you. I’m not really hungry. And can I have some ginger tea instead of coffee? Just the thought of it is making me feel nauseous,” Abigail looked at Rosemary in concern, “The morning sickness is back,” she said softly.   
“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that,” said Abigail, “But I have plenty of tea. I’ll make us both a cup.”  
“Thank you,” nodded Rosemary appreciatively.   
Abigail soon came back with two steaming mugs, “Here, that should help settle your stomach some,” said Abigail, handing Rosemary the tea.  
“Thanks,” Rosemary smiled softly and took a small sip.   
“You’re welcome,” said Abigail. The older woman sat down across from the expectant mother and asked, “So, what’s on your mind?”  
Rosemary took a nervous breath, “Well, you’ve been pregnant before, so you’ll know what I’m talking about a little bit better than Jack and Lee. I’ve been having these dreams that concern me. One set of dreams I discussed with Jack and then Lee yesterday, but there’s another set I’ve been having that I’m worried about that I just can’t let them know about them. Not with Jack going away and not with Lee having to worry about the new house and everything at the mill…”  
“Rosie, listen, I know the pregnancy dreams can seem very real. I also know how hard it is for you when Jack deploys. It is for all of us, but especially for you and Elizabeth,” comforted Abigail, “Is it about that?”  
Rosemary shook her head, “No, well yes, but no. I have my way to deal with that,” Rosemary gave only half of the truth, “It’s these dreams I have about the baby,” Rosemary whispered softly.   
“What about the baby?” asked Abigail quietly, taking Rosemary’s hand in hers.  
“She…I don’t know why I’m dreaming it’s a girl because we don’t know for sure, she is in trouble, like a fire or drowning or something like that and I can’t help her, I can’t save her, I don’t know what to do,” Rosemary began to cry.   
“Well, they’re just dreams, Rosie. It’s probably just your mind processing and worrying about the new baby…”  
Rosemary shook her head firmly, “You don’t understand, Abigail. I had crazy dreams when I was pregnant with Aaron, but they weren’t this ominous. My recurring one with him was that I was giving birth to a puppy,” she chuckled lightly and Abigail smiled and chuckled a little as well, “The last time I had dreams like this was before Lilly was born,” Rosemary said, her voice no higher than a whisper, “And you know after Lilly was born…”   
“Oh,” Abigail said softly. She had the feeling she now knew what Rosie was worried about.   
“Exactly,” answered Rosemary, “I’ve talked to Dr. Shepherd about it some at my maternal check-ups because he knows my history. And he said to be on the lookout for the symptoms because sometimes they can be stronger and worse than the initial time. It just…makes me wonder, if I got it again, how on Earth would Lee and I tell the kids? Why Mommy is crying all the time, why Mommy is so sad all the time, why Mommy won’t eat and can’t sleep, why Mommy doesn’t wasn’t to take care of the baby she wanted so badly, how Mommy is sick but they can’t see it. It’s a little scary,” Rosemary admitted.  
Abigail took a deep breath, “Well, I’m not going to pretend I know exactly how you’re feeling right now, because I’ve never struggled with postpartum depression, but I can tell you, one mother to another, that children take in a lot of their surroundings and they fill in the gaps of what they don’t understand. Sometimes they come up with crazy yet inaccurate explanations. So, I’m not saying you have to if you or Lee feel uncomfortable with the notion or if you just want to wait until you have to cross that bridge if necessary, but, it might not be a terrible idea to tell them about your past battle in kid-friendly terms. It’s better for them to know and have you end up being completely fine than for them not to know and then be worried about you.”  
Rosemary nodded, her rational side in complete agreement with Abigail, “I guess you’re right. I figure I’m also having these dreams because something is wrong with Lillian and I can’t figure out what.”  
“Has she been giving you and Lee problems again?” asked Abigail compassionately.  
“No,” Rosemary answered, “I mean, she’s been listening to us, doing her chores, stuff like that. But she’s been so quiet and somber these past few days, and you know Lillian, she can talk all day without stopping when given the chance.”   
“Well, maybe you can try talking to her later tonight,” advised Abigail.  
“I guess,” Rosemary finished the last of her tea.  
Abigail gathered the dishes, “Rosie, do you have anything to do today?”  
Rosemary thought about it, “Not really. I don’t work on Fridays and all I was going to do was go home and rearrange things for the umpteenth time. Why?”  
“Why don’t you help me, Cat, Florence and Molly get ready for the farewell dinner? You seem like you could use the company,” Abigail offered her friend.  
Rosemary sighed in relief, grateful she didn’t have to go home and wallow in her feelings and that she now had something to keep her busy for the rest of the day, “As long as I can leave right before school lets out or the kids will be worried sick.”  
“Consider it done,” said Abigail.  
******************************************************************************  
Once the dinner hour arrived, everyone in Hope Valley was at Abigail’s café to bid Jack their prayers and well wishes. Jack wasn’t normally one to crave attention, but in times like these, he was thankful that he had such a supportive family and caring friends. Abigail, Rosemary, Cat, Florence, and Molly had prepared a wonderful feast and everyone was really enjoying themselves. Well, almost everyone. Despite the activity around her, Lillian wasn’t playing with the other town children. Instead she had chosen to either sit quietly in a corner and play by herself or quietly sit with the adults. Everyone knew something was off: Lillian almost always either ordered the kids around outside or constantly interrupted the adults’ conversation. Rosemary definitely knew something was wrong with her daughter given the fact that a lot of the discussions that night had involved the new baby and Lilly hadn’t acted jealous or bored. Once Jack and Elizabeth were finally alone, Lilly decided it was time to make her move. She approached the couple in the sitting area and asked, “Uncle Jack, can I talk to you?”  
“Of course, Lilly,” he responded happily, though Elizabeth didn’t leave her husband’s side.  
Lily turned to Elizabeth and said, “Aunt Elizabeth, I’d like to talk to Uncle Jack alone.”  
“Oh,” Elizabeth stood, “Then I’ll leave you two alone.”  
Elizabeth went to find Abigail and Rosemary and Jack sat Lilly on his lap, “What’s wrong Lilly? Why the long face?” he rubbed her cheek. Normally, Lilly was bouncing all around him just like her mother.  
“Uncle Jack, you and Mommy have known each other a long time, right?” asked Lilly.  
“Well, yeah. We didn’t live in the same town until we were twelve, but I met your Mommy when we were about your age,” Jack answered, “Why?”   
“Because she’s really sad about you leaving. She cries a lot and is sick sometimes,” Jack nodded his understanding, recalling his conversation with Rosie yesterday, “Well, I’m really sad about you leaving too, but I don’t know how to talk to Mommy about it without making her cry. I tried making her nice pictures and giving her lots of hugs and kisses. I even brought home Romeo and Juliet to make her feel better. They’re our two cats,” Lilly emphasized and Jack struggled to hold in his amusement. Lilly was so much like Rosemary, “I really want to talk to her about how I feel like she wants me to, but I’m afraid I’ll make her cry again. What do I do?” she asked Jack.  
“Listen Lilly,” Jack grabbed his Goddaughter’s hand, “Your Mommy came to me yesterday about how she was feeling sad and I think it helped her feel a little better. If it’s one thing I know about Mommy, it’s that she has a big heart and really loves and cares for those people and things important to her. And there’s no one on this planet that’s more important to her than you and Aaron.”  
“Really?” Lilly perked up.  
“Really,” Jack confirmed, “Your Mommy would do anything for you both and everyone else she loves and cares about. So she will talk to you even if it upsets her because she wants to make you feel better.”  
“Promise?” asked Lilly.  
100%,” said Jack.  
“I love you, Uncle Jack,” she embraced him and kissed his cheek.  
“I love you too, Lilly,” he set her down, “Now let’s go see if there’s any of Aunt Abigail’s special double chocolate cookies left.”  
“Mommy probably ate them all and then told everyone that the baby wanted them,” Lilly said bluntly.  
Jack snickered, “Well, we’ll see.”  
“Uncle Jack?”  
“Hmm?”  
“What would Mommy do for the people that she loved?”  
“Well, she’d move across the country to try and show how much she cared about them.”  
“Like how she moved across Canada to meet Daddy?”  
“Sure, let’s go with that.”   
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after the farewell dinner, Lee and Rosemary went through Lilly and Aaron’s bedtime routine before settling in themselves. Of course, now that Rosemary’s mind was more at ease after talking to Lee, Abigail, and Jack about her worries, the baby decided she wasn’t going to get any sleep tonight either as it decided to do some acrobatics in her tummy. Just as Rosie was finally drifting off to sleep, she felt someone tapping her shoulder, “Mommy?”  
Rosemary sleepily opened her eyes and found her daughter standing in front of her, “What is it, Lilly Bug?”  
“I can’t sleep. I’m worried about Uncle Jack,” said Lilly sadly.  
“I know, I am too,” said Rosemary.  
“Can I sleep with you tonight?” asked Lilly.  
Rosemary groaned, but nodded, “Sure honey,” thankfully, Romeo was now sleeping with Aaron in his bed so she only had to contend with one cat. Rosemary sat up and placed Juliet down on the floor as Juliet meowed angrily, “I’m sorry, I love you, but my kids still outrank you,” she said to Juliet. Juliet snorted and circled the area a few times before settling into her bed, “Come here, baby girl,” Rosemary patted the bed and Lilly crawled underneath the covers and snuggled next to her mother, “Just a warning, the baby moves around a lot in my tummy, even when the rest of us are sleeping.”  
“That’s okay,” said Lilly. She stayed silent for a few minutes, “Mommy?”  
“Hmm?” asked Rosemary tiredly.   
“Can I talk to you about something that I told Uncle Jack?”  
“Can we do it in the morning, sweetheart?” Rosie asked in a tone that told Lilly it was a command and not a question.   
“I guess,” Lilly huffed.   
“Is she okay?” asked Lee and Rosie smiled to herself. Her dear husband, the same man who she was pretty sure could sleep through a hurricane, always was up whenever one of their kids couldn’t sleep. It’s like he had an internal Dad sensor inside of him.   
“She’s fine, honey. Go back to sleep,” said Rosemary. Lee nodded and rolled back over. Rosie kissed Lilly’s temple and said, “Go back to sleep sweetheart, we can discuss anything you want in the morning.”  
“Okay. Good night, Mommy.”  
“Good night, sweetheart. I love you.”


	36. Chapter 36

Rosemary was startled awake when a fist or a foot struck her ribs. She groaned a little but fluttered her eyes open, fighting sleep. She smiled down at her daughter, still cuddled next to her and sleeping peacefully. She slowly rolled over and found a patch of brunette hair against her but it didn’t belong to Lee. It was…Aaron? And Romeo? When did they come into the room? And somehow, Juliet had managed to jump back up on the bed again, so it was a very crowded space. Rosemary didn’t mind though. Somehow, she felt at peace having the entire Coulter family in one spot at the moment, “Mommy?”  
Rosemary rolled back to her right side and smiled, “Morning, Lilly Bug,” she kissed her, “How’d you sleep?”  
“Okay,” Lilly rubbed her eyes, “You wouldn’t lie still,” Lilly looked up at Rosemary.  
Rosemary chuckled a little, “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Sometimes having this on the front of me makes it hard for me to sleep,” Rosemary rubbed her bump lovingly, “And the baby likes to move around when I’m trying to sleep.”  
Lilly rubbed Rosemary’s bump and kissed it, “Well, I think you should let Mommy sleep better. She’s already letting you use her tummy to grow big and strong. It’s the least you could do,” said Lilly emphatically. Rosemary couldn’t help but laugh. Her dear daughter telling it like it is even to her unborn sibling.  
Lee stirred and rolled over as he awoke, “Whoa, how did we get another kid and another cat in our bed?”  
Aaron stretched and smiled, “Good morning.”  
“Bud, when did you come in here?” asked Rosie curiously.  
“I woke up in the middle of the night to pee and Lilly wasn’t in her bed, so I got Romeo and came over here. I was lonely,” he explained.  
“Oh,” both parents chuckled, “Well, we have to get ready to go to Cape Fullerton to take Romeo and Juliet to the vet, so why don’t we start getting ready, Buddy,” Lee went to the bathroom and took Aaron with him.  
Rosemary smiled and sat up, but immediately regretted the action as her stomach churned, “Are you alright, Mommy?” asked Lilly.  
Rosemary nodded, “Yeah. Just give me the crackers on the nightstand and I’ll be fine,” Lilly did as instructed and Rosemary nibbled on a few. She was only slightly queasy, but it was better to be safe than sorry.  
“Can I have one?” asked Lilly sweetly.  
Rosemary chuckled and handed her one, “Sure, Lilly Bug,” Lilly smiled and happily took the cracker. Rosemary ruffled Lilly’s blonde locks and asked, “Lilly, did you still want to talk about what was bothering you last night?”  
Lilly sighed but nodded, “Can we do it while we’re getting ready to go over Aunt Abigail’s with Uncle Jack and Aunt Elizabeth?”  
“Sure, sweetheart. Go pick out what you want to wear and I’ll be in to help you get ready soon,” Lilly disappeared and Rosemary slowly stood. Thankfully, the crackers had calmed her stomach. She got dressed and went to where Lilly was unsuccessfully trying to lace her corset. Rosemary didn’t make her wear one every day, at least not yet, but she did make her wear one if they were going to church or out of town, “Here Lilly Bug, let me do it,” Rosemary hastily stepped in to help, “Do you want me to put a ribbon in your hair?”  
“Yes, please,” Lilly nodded as she pulled on her dress.  
They both sat down and Rosemary found Lilly’s hairbrush. The seven year old happily sat still for once as she loved having her hair styled. Rosemary began to brush her daughter’s hair out, thinking back to her own childhood, “This is one of the few differences between you and me. I used to hate having my hair brushed. Maman and Adelaide would always have to chase me around our house and then pin me down almost in order to style my hair. Or bribe me to behave,” Rosemary chuckled.  
“Mommy, who’s Adelaide?” asked Lilly.  
“She was our nanny when Maman, Papa, and I lived in Quebec,” Rosemary replied.  
“Oh,” Lilly said.  
Once Rosemary was finished, Lilly hopped off the bed and went to leave, but Rosie stopped her, “Lilly, sweetheart,” Lilly stopped and looked into her mother’s eyes, “What’s wrong?”  
Tears were welling in Lilly’s eyes, but she fought them, “Promise me you won’t cry if I tell you?”  
Of course, Rosemary felt like she had absolutely no control over her emotions right now, so she responded, “I’ll try.”  
Lilly sighed, but nodded. Rosemary made her best attempt to sit Lilly in her lap; she knew she wouldn’t be able to do so much longer, “I’m scared about Uncle Jack leaving.”  
Rosemary nodded and held back tears of her own, “I know you are, sweetheart. I am too. And so are Daddy and Aaron,” Lilly looked down and Rosemary could tell she wanted to say something more, “Whatever’s on your mind, sweetheart, you can tell me. You know that, right?”  
“I know,” said Lilly, “I’m afraid Uncle Jack is going to die.”  
“Oh, honey, why would you think that?” asked Rosemary fearfully.  
“Because William’s Grandpa, Uncle Jack’s Daddy, died when fighting bad guys,” said Lilly, “I don’t want that to happen to Uncle Jack,” Lilly began to cry.  
“Oh, Lilly Bug, it’s okay,” Rosemary whispered softly, running her hand up and down Lilly’s back, “It’s okay to feel this way. It’s always scary when Mounties go fight bad guys, especially if it’s one you’re really close to personally. But sweetheart, why didn’t you talk to me?”  
“Because you’re so sad about Uncle Jack leaving, and I didn’t want to make you cry,” Lilly sobbed.  
“Oh Lilly,” Rosemary tucked a lock of blonde hair behind her daughter’s ear, “It’s sad and scary for me, but I want nothing more in life than to make you feel better. So if you’re sad or scared, you can come to me, alright?”  
Lilly nodded understandingly, “Mommy, besides Uncle Jack and Uncle Jack’s Daddy, wasn’t Grandpa a Mountie?”  
Rosemary nodded, “Yes, he was.”  
“Well, until Grandpa came home or Uncle Jack comes home, how do you make yourself feel better?” asked Lilly.  
Rosemary smiled softly and grabbed Lilly’s hand, “Tell you what, Little Flower? How about later tonight, after we get home from the vet, I tell you how I keep myself calm after Daddy and I tell you something. Okay?”  
Lilly gazed at Rosemary in confusion but nodded anyways, “Okay.”  
******************************************************************************  
It was time: time for Jack to begin his journey to Saskatchewan. Abigail embraced him and laid her hands on his arms, “Be careful out there.”  
“I will, I promise,” Jack assured her.  
“We’ll be praying for you,” Frank shook his hand and embraced him.  
“I appreciate it,” said Jack.  
Aaron and Lilly both hugged him, “We love you, Uncle Jack,” said Aaron. He was struggling to hold back tears.  
“We’ll miss you,” added Lilly.  
“I love you guys and will miss you guys too,” Jack kissed both of their temples.  
Lee and Jack embraced, “Be safe up there,” said Lee and Jack nodded.  
Rosemary hugged Jack and kissed him on the cheek, “Just be careful. I’ll say a decade for you every night,” she whispered in his ear so no one could hear her.  
“Make sure baby Coulter doesn’t get too carried away,” smirked Jack.  
Rosemary blew her lips jokingly, “Too late,” she smirked back. The Coulters and the Hogans left the Thornton family alone so they could have some privacy.  
Jack bent down and handed Mary and Charlotte two bags, “These are for you girls,” The twins opened the bags and each pulled out a small, white bear dressed as a Mountie, the same bear that William was given during Jack’s first deployment to the Northern Territories, “Every time you look at the bears, you can think of me,” explained Jack.  
Mary and Charlotte threw themselves into Jack’s arms, sobbing, “Daddy, don’t go!” they shouted together.  
“I have to, girls,” Jack struggled to hold back the tears forming in his eyes. He stood and turned to William, who was also crying, “Behave for your mother,” Jack said and William nodded. Father and son hugged, “I’ll miss you so much, Buddy.”  
“I’ll miss you too, Daddy.”  
Jack took a deep breath and turned to Elizabeth. She was already crying. He stepped closer to her and planted a passionate kiss to her lips. He kissed her wedding band and said, “I love you, Elizabeth.”  
“I love you too,” she sobbed. They gave each other another loving kiss before he pulled out of her embrace. He hopped up onto Sergeant and commanded him to start galloping. He turned around one more time to gaze at his family before he rode off into the unknown.  
******************************************************************************  
The Coulter family arrived at the pet clinic in Cape Fullerton by mid-morning and the vet, Dr. Lawson, performed a thorough examination on both Romeo and Juliet. He finished Romeo’s physical and smiled, “Well, this one is perfectly healthy. What’s the little fellow’s name?” he asked curiously.  
“Romeo,” Rosemary said happily.  
“And she’s Juliet,” smiled Lillian.  
Lee laid a hand on Rosemary’s back, “My wife used to be an actress on Broadway,” he explained.  
“Ah,” Dr. Lawson chuckled, “Well, Juliet here shouldn’t be too much further from delivering her kittens. She’ll probably deliver a litter between 3-7 kittens, the average is about four. You’ll need to make an area where she can deliver with used towels, newspapers, food and water, things like that.”  
“I have delivered kittens before, but it has been a while,” admitted Lee.  
“Well, then you probably can recall the signs of labor: panting, pacing, restlessness, excessive grooming, loud purrs or cries, nesting…”  
“Is Juliet going to rearrange my closet, the kitchen, and the whole house the way Mommy has been?” asked Lilly.  
“Lillian Coulter,” scolded Rosemary, “Sorry, Dr. Lawson, she always says the first thing that comes to her mind, no matter how inappropriate it is.” Lee and Aaron barely contained their laughter.  
“Not a problem, Mrs. Coulter. I have a young daughter myself, I know how curious they can be,” said Dr. Lawson. He crouched down in front of Lilly and smiled, “No, Juliet will not be rearranging your closet or the rest of the house. It’ll be more along the lines of gathering newspaper, towels, and creating an area where she can deliver her kittens,” he informed.  
“You won’t do that when you have the baby, right?” Lillian looked at Rosemary.  
“I promise you, I won’t start doing that,” Rosemary said.  
“Well, other than the pregnancy, these two little guys seem to be in tip top shape. Don’t hesitate to send a telegram if you have any issues,” said Dr. Lawson.  
“Thank you, sir. Have a nice day,” smiled Lee. Once the family arrived home, Lee released Romeo and Juliet from their carriers while the kids went to run upstairs. Lee squeezed Rosemary’s hand before he spoke, “Um, guys, could you stay down here a second? Mommy and I have to talk to you about something.”  
The siblings obediently sat down on the settee in between their parents, “Is it something we did wrong?” asked Aaron.  
“No, neither one of you have done anything wrong,” assured Lee. He looked at Rosie and took a deep breath, “It’s about after Mommy has the baby.”  
The brother and sister looked at each other, “Okay,” they both said simultaneously.  
“Well, you know most of the time after a mommy has a baby, she’s really happy right?” asked Rosemary and her kids nodded their understanding.  
“Well, we’re only telling you guys this just in case it happens, but there’s no guarantee, so Mommy might end up being perfectly fine,” said Lee.  
Aaron worriedly looked over at Rosemary, “Is something going to happen to Mommy?” he asked as Lilly gained an apprehensive look.  
“Calm down guys, let me explain,” said Lee, “Well, shortly after Lilly was born, Mommy got very sick.”  
“Was it like when we got the flu back at Christmastime?” asked Lilly.  
“No,” Rosemary shook her head, “I didn’t cough, sneeze, throw up, run a fever, or anything like that. And it wasn’t a sickness anyone could catch.”  
“Then what was it?” asked Aaron.  
“It was a sad sickness,” Rosemary explained as best as she could, “It made really unhappy. I cried a lot for no reason, I didn’t want to eat, I couldn’t sleep even when Lilly slept, and I had bad guys in my head telling me I wasn’t a good Mommy.”  
“But you’re a great Mommy,” said Lilly.  
“Well, I know that now,” she squeezed Lilly’s hand, “But when you were a baby, I didn’t feel like it at first.”  
“How did you get better?” asked Aaron, “Did you have to take yucky medicine?”  
“No,” Rosemary said, “I went to see someone about how I was feeling. We talked about how sad I was and he helped me feel better. And Daddy, Aunt Elizabeth, Aunt Abigail, Pastor Frank, everyone else in Hope Valley, they did nice things for me and told me I was a good Mommy. They talked to me and listened to me about how I was feeling. And they would also watch you if I needed a break. And soon, I began to get better and found I loved being a Mommy and that Lilly was the best thing that ever happened to me.”  
Lilly and Aaron nodded. Lee and Rosemary could tell they didn’t comprehend everything, but they got the gist, “So, did you get sad sick after I was born?” asked Aaron.  
“No,” Rosemary answered her son, “And I might not get sad sick after I have your little brother or sister, but Daddy and I wanted you both to know just in case. After the baby is born, if you see me crying a lot, not eating, yelling at Daddy a lot, and I don’t seem like myself, please let a grown-up know so they can help me.”  
Lilly and Aaron looked at Rosemary, “Would helping you with the baby and doing our chores keep you from getting sad sick?” asked Lilly.  
“Well, even if I don’t get sad sick, it would still be a nice thing to do,” said Rosemary.  
“If it makes you feel better, we love having you as our Mommy,” smiled Aaron.  
Rosemary grinned broadly and wrapped her children in a loving embrace, “And I love being your Mommy.” She kissed them both.  
“Mommy, were you still going to show me what to do when I’m scared about Uncle Jack?” asked Lilly.  
“Sure Lilly Bug,” Rosemary stood to lead her daughter upstairs.  
“Daddy, can we start a new book?” asked Aaron hopefully. They had both finished reading _Tom Sawyer_.  
“Sure Buddy. Let’s go pick one out,” Lee led Aaron over to the book shelf.  
Lilly followed Rosemary upstairs and Rosemary took the Rosary out of her nightstand drawer, “Now, what I teach you today, you have to promise not to tell anyone else.”  
“Not even Daddy?” asked Lilly.  
“Well, you can tell Daddy and you can tell Uncle Jack, but no one else,” Rosemary pointed a finger at Lilly. Lilly agreed and Rosie began, “Well, in Quebec, everyone still goes to church and still prays, but they pray a little bit differently than here in Hope Valley. They use this special item called a Rosary to help them. I use it to help me pray when I’m worried about Uncle Jack and it helped me feel better when I had my sad sickness. I can show you, but it’ll involve me teaching you some special prayers. Do you want to?”  
“As long as it’s just me and not a whole classroom of students,” said Lilly.  
“What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Rosemary amusingly.  
“Mommy, I love you, and you’re a good Mommy to me and Aaron, but you’re not great with other people’s kids,” Lilly whispered softly.  
Rosemary shook her head jokingly, “You’re lucky you’re cute and I love you.”


	37. Chapter 37

Over the next few weeks, everyone slowly adjusted to Jack’s absence, though Elizabeth knew the kids and she wouldn’t ever fully adjust. More and more was being collected for the Lenten Drive and Clara and Jesse’s wedding plans were coming along nicely. The Cantrells were preparing for Phillip’s adoption ceremony and construction of both the Thornton and Coulter houses were progressing as they should have been. It helped that Harry had decided to spend a few weeks in Hope Valley helping out since Jack was no longer present to help with the building.   
One Saturday morning, March 20th, 1920, Faith was preparing to go to infirmary for the morning when she heard a knock on the bedroom door, “Come in!” she called.  
Phillip poked his head into the room hesitantly, “Uh, Mommy?” he questioned.  
“Yeah,” she turned around to face him.  
“I was wondering, since you like searching for bugs, I was wondering if you could help me find some worms outside. It’s for a school project about changes in the spring.”  
“Um, maybe later, sweet boy. I have to go to the infirmary this morning,” she answered.  
“Why?” asked Phillip.  
“I have to assist Dr. Shepherd with a check-up for Mrs. Coulter and her baby,” said Faith.  
“Oh,” said Phillip.  
“Maybe you can get Daddy to help you,” said Faith.  
“Daddy is with Mr. Gowen, Mr. Stonewall, Mr. Flynn, Mr. Hickam, and Pastor Frank helping build Mrs. Thornton’s new house,” said Phillip.  
“Now?!” asked Faith in shock. Shane hadn’t told her about going to help on the construction that morning, “I told your Daddy I had to work in the morning,” Faith muttered frustratingly to herself, “Tell you what, since you can’t be alone by yourself, why don’t I take you to work with me and then we can come home and search for bugs?”  
“Promise?” asked Phillip.  
“Promise,” said Faith.  
Phillip followed Faith downstairs, “What do I do when we get to your work?”  
“Well, Mr. and Mrs. Coulter are bringing Lilly and Aaron with them and they usually go in and out of the exam room. Maybe they can play with you some,” said Faith.  
“Sounds good,” said Phillip.  
******************************************************************************  
Saturday morning at the Coulter house was quiet, which was unusual. Rosemary was up earlier than she usually was, so she decided to let her husband and kids sleep before they all had to get up to go over to the infirmary for her twenty-week maternal check-up. Thankfully for Rosemary, the morning sickness was dissipating again and her appetite was returning. Of course, with the return of her appetite came the unusual cravings and strange food combinations. Rosemary put on her robe and slippers and went downstairs to find something to eat for breakfast. Juliet was already downstairs, thought she didn’t come over to greet Rosemary when she arrived in the living room. Instead, Juliet continued to pace back and forth and groom herself. Rosemary started a pot of coffee for Lee and poured a glass of orange juice for herself, now what to eat? The traditional breakfast foods honestly didn’t appeal to her, so she went rooting through the cupboards to find something. She found a jar of peanut butter, that looked good. She went to find some crackers, until she realized all of the crackers were upstairs in case she woke up with a nauseous stomach. She glanced down and ran a hand over her growing baby bump. No way was she going up the stairs again unless absolutely necessary! Her protruding abdomen was already starting to get in the way of everything and was disrupting her (and Lee’s) sleep plus going up stairs made her winded at this point. She had honestly forgotten how inconvenient lugging around a basketball on the front of you was. She searched the cabinets more and found a jar of pickles. Oh the sourness of the pickles combined with the sweetness of the peanut butter sounded Heavenly to her. But what to put it on? Well, there was some cheddar cheese that needed to be eaten soon and the baby was sending her signals that he or she wanted that too. Rosemary sat everything down on the table just as Aaron was coming down the stairs, “Morning Mommy!”   
Rosie turned around to face Aaron and smiled, “Morning, Bud,” she scooped some peanut butter onto the cheese, placed a pickle in between two slices of cheese, and promptly began to eat. Aaron glanced over at his mother and wrinkled his brow a little, but he was too nice and polite to say anything, “What do you want for breakfast, sweetheart?”  
Aaron shrugged, “Lilly was right behind me. I’ll let her decide.”  
Lilly bounced down the stairs, where Juliet was still pacing and grooming in front of them, “Morning Juliet!” she reached out for her and Juliet hissed at Lillian, “Okay, I thought you liked me!” she threw her hands in the air. She skipped over to the dining room table, “Morning Mommy,” she smiled and then her face became the picture of revulsion when she saw Rosemary’s choice of breakfast foods, “Are you actually eating pickles, cheddar cheese, and peanut butter TOGETHER!?” she asked incredulously.  
“No,” Rosemary replied though a mouthful of food. She swallowed and said, “I didn’t want them. The baby did,” she answered.  
“Oh. Right,” Lilly said sarcastically, “Well, I want something less gross for breakfast. How about pancakes?”  
“With blueberries!” Aaron chimed in happily.   
“Alright, blueberry pancakes it is,” Rosie gathered the ingredients for the batter and then looked in the fridge for blueberries, though there were none there at the moment. Curse the pregnancy brain! She had meant to pick up more yesterday at the mercantile and forgot, “Uh guys? I think we’re out of blueberries.”  
“Why?” asked Aaron.  
“Because I ate what we had the other day…”  
“With what? Hot dog relish?” asked Lilly.  
“And I forgot to pick up more yesterday at the mercantile,” Rosemary ignored her daughter.   
Lee came down the stairs, fully dressed, unlike Aaron and Lilly, “Good morning everyone.”  
“Morning Daddy!” the kids happily hugged and kissed him.   
“Morning sweetheart,” he kissed Rosemary and then licked his lips curiously, “Is that peanut butter and pickles I taste on your lips?”  
“And cheddar cheese,” chimed in Lilly.  
“Okay then,” said Lee and noticed the coffee pot boiling over, “Rosie, I think the coffee…”  
“Oh no, oh dear!” she rushed over and turned it off, “I completely forgot about it!” she began to cry, “Now I have all of this mess to clean up and…”  
“Honey, why don’t you go get dressed, I’ll finish the pancakes and clean up the coffee," he smiled.  
Rosemary took a deep breath,” Okay.”  
She disappeared and Lilly turned to Lee, “Daddy, is Mommy okay?”  
“Yeah, she’s fine, Princess,” he confirmed.  
“It isn’t that sad sickness you told us about is it?” asked Aaron with a look of concern in his eyes.  
“No, at least, not right now. Growing a baby can sometimes make Mommy a little…emotional and forgetful,” explained Lee, “Now go upstairs and get dressed. We’ll all eat breakfast and then head over to the infirmary together.”  
******************************************************************************  
Once the Coulter family arrived at the infirmary, Faith and Phillip were waiting for them in the lobby, “Hi Mr. Coulter, hi Mrs. Coulter,” waved Phillip.  
“Hey Phillip, how are you?” Lee waved back and Rosemary smiled softly.   
“Pretty good,” said Phillip.  
“Rosemary, you can have a seat. Carson will be out shortly,” instructed Faith. Rosemary nodded and took a seat while Lilly and Aaron went to play with Phillip. Lee was about to go have a seat next to Rosie when Faith stopped him, “Hey, Lee, can I talk to you for a moment?”  
Lee scowled a little but nodded, “Uh, sure,” he stepped outside with Faith and asked, “What’s going on, Faith?”  
“Did you ask Shane to work on the houses today?” Faith crossed her arms over her chest.  
Lee shook his head in the negative, “No, why?”  
“Because I told him I had to work this morning and Phillip mentioned he was working on the Thornton house. That’s why Phillip is here with me,” Faith explained.  
“Oh,” Lee said, “No, I never mentioned anything to him. He probably just forgot.”  
“Yeah, probably,” Faith sighed. By the time they both reentered the infirmary, Carson had taken Rosemary back to one of the exam rooms. He checked her height, weight, abdominal growth, heartbeat, breathing, temperature, and blood pressure and everything was as it should have been for twenty-weeks.  
He invited Lilly and Aaron into the room in time to listen to the fetal heartbeat, “So has your appetite been improving? You mentioned your morning sickness had returned your last visit,” said Carson.  
“Yes, my appetite is increasing,” Rosemary confirmed,  
“She was eating pickles, cheddar cheese, AND peanut butter this morning,” said Lilly.  
“Lillian,” warned Lee as Carson laughed.  
“Well, as long as it continues to be only food, then bizarre pregnancy cravings are perfectly normal at twenty weeks,” chuckled Carson. He found the heartbeat and motioned for Lilly and Aaron to come over.  
They both went to jump up on the stool at the same time and Lilly looked over at Aaron, “Why don’t you go first,” asked Aaron.  
“Mmhm,” Lilly hopped up onto the stool.  
“Okay,” said Aaron joining his father’s side.   
Lilly put the earpieces in and grinned from ear to ear when Carson placed the stethoscope on Rosemary’s abdomen, “So that’s my baby sister?”  
“Or baby brother,” added Lee.   
“She’s really hoping for a girl. Can you tell?” asked Rosemary sarcastically.   
Lilly stepped off the stool and looked at Aaron, “You can actually hear a heartbeat this time.”   
Aaron took a listen and laughed a little at the sound, “It sounds like a trotting horse.”   
Once Aaron finished taking a listen, Carson said to Lilly and Aaron, “Okay, guys, your Mommy and Daddy wanted to talk to me alone, so why don’t you wait out front with Nurse Cantrell and Phillip?”  
“Okay,” Lilly grabbed Aaron’s hand and dragged him out of the room and Faith left the group of three alone.   
Carson turned back to Rosemary and said, “So, you wanted to talk about the possibility of postpartum depression returning after the birth, is that correct?” asked Carson softly.  
Rosemary nodded, “We told the kids about it a few weeks ago, but I want to try to prevent it if it’s possible. I really don’t want them to have to see me like I was after Lilly was born.”   
“Well, the odds increase by 50% in subsequent pregnancies and some factors of developing it again are out of your control, like your baby’s temperament or how the labor and delivery goes. But reducing stress, getting adequate sleep, exercising, and leaning on your support system can help, though I’m pretty sure everyone in Hope Valley is always willing to lend a hand,” Rosemary and Lee smiled and nodded in agreement, “But, at this point, you both also know the signs, you know when to ask for help, you have your support system, and Dr. Brown still has his clinic in Calgary. If at any time after the birth you feel you need to see him, tell me and I can get you an appointment. Okay?”  
“Okay,” Rosemary answered softly. Lee helped Rosemary off of the exam table, “Well, we promised the kids lunch at Abigail’s so we better get going.”  
“Alright. Have a good afternoon,” smiled Carson.   
******************************************************************************  
The Coulters arrived home around mid-afternoon to find the basket of dirty towels speard all over the corner of the living room, “What the…?” questioned Rosemary, “Who tore apart my laundry basket? I was going to wash those towels!”  
Lee glanced around the room and noticed Juliet frantically pacing, panting, meowing, and dragging the towels plus the morning newspaper (that thankfully, Lee had already read) gathered in the corner, “Uh Rosie?”  
“Yeah,” she called across the room.  
“I think Juliet’s in labor.”


	38. Chapter 38

“What’s labor mean?” asked Lilly.  
“It means Juliet is having her kittens,” explained Rosemary as she went to assist her husband.  
“Okay,” Lee ran his hands through his hair, doing his best to recall what to do, “We’ll need extra towels, gauze pads, a thermometer, some food, water, and scissors,” instructed Lee. Rosemary and Aaron went to get the extra supplies from the bathroom while Lee and Lillian heard a knock at the door, “Princess, would go answer the door please?”   
“Yes Daddy,” Lilly opened the door and smiled when she saw her Godmother, “Hi Aunt Elizabeth!” she threw herself into Elizabeth’s arms.  
“Hi Lilly,” Elizabeth smiled. She observed Rosemary and Aaron come down the stairs, towels in hand, and scowled, “Are you all still coming over to Abigail’s? William noticed you come home from the infirmary.”  
“Oh,” Rosemary looked over at Juliet, “I completely forgot. Now isn’t a good time. Juliet is in labor.”  
“Who’s Juliet?” asked Elizabeth.  
“Our cat,” Rosemary pointed over towards a restless Juliet.  
“Since when did you all get a cat?” questioned Elizabeth in surprise.   
“Not just one cat. We have two,” said Lilly happily.  
“Romeo’s upstairs sleeping on my bed. He’s kind of shy,” said Aaron.  
“We brought them home to make Mommy feel better right before Uncle Jack left,” said Lilly.   
“I see,” said Elizabeth.  
“Mommy, are we going to Aunt Abigail’s soon?” asked an impatient William.   
“Soon, sweetheart,” said Elizabeth.  
“Actually Elizabeth, I could really use your help,” said Lee, “I’ve delivered kittens before, but it’s been awhile. Jack mentioned that your sister had a cat growing up in Hamilton?”  
Elizabeth nodded, “Yes, Julie did, and her cat did have kittens at one point. It also has been a long time since I’ve helped deliver kittens, but I think together we’ll manage,” she smiled, “William, would you please go over to Aunt Abigail’s and explain that I’m helping Uncle Lee and Aunt Rosemary deliver Juliet’s kittens and then come straight back here. I will fill in the rest of the details tomorrow after church.”  
“Okay,” said William as he headed towards the café.   
Elizabeth, Mary, and Charlotte entered the Coulter house and found the area where Juliet was pacing, “Mommy, can we watch?” asked Charlotte.  
“You may,” Elizabeth nodded and the twins happily took a seat on the floor.  
“Thanks. I just wanted someone else with experience and I don’t really want Rosie spending more time on the floor than necessary,” said Lee.   
“I’m not that fragile, Lee,” said Rosemary, pulling the chair over and taking a seat.  
“The other day, when we were playing dolls on the floor, it took you three tries to stand up again,” said Lilly.   
“Lillian,” scolded Rosemary and Lilly shrugged innocently.  
William returned and asked, “Has Juliet had the kittens yet?”  
“No, it takes time, Little Mountie, just like when mommies have babies,” said Elizabeth.   
Juliet stopped suddenly and started to pant and meow rapidly, “I think the first one is emerging now,” observed Rosemary.  
“Princess, could you hand me one of the towels?” asked Lee to Lilly. She promptly obeyed and Lee started to help the kitten out.  
“Daddy, how do the kittens get out?” asked Aaron sitting next to Lee.  
“Well, Buddy, Juliet has a special opening where the kittens will come out,” Lee explained.  
“So, does Mommy have the same opening?” asked Aaron.  
Lee hesitated a little, “Yes.”  
“So our baby brother or sister won’t come out through the belly button?” questioned Aaron curiously.  
Elizabeth and Rosemary chuckled a little and Lee couldn’t help but laugh, “No, Buddy, babies aren’t born through a mommy’s belly button.”  
“Told you!” scolded Lilly.   
The first kitten appeared and Juliet chewed open the sack and cord and began to lick the kitten, though the little one was squawking loudly, “Sounds like when Lilly was born,” Lee joked to Rosie and Elizabeth and they both nodded in agreement.   
“I’m not that noisy,” she pouted.   
He handed Rosemary the first kitten and said, “Honey, I need you to rub her to keep her warm and breathing while Juliet delivers the rest of the kittens,” Rosemary happily took the small, whimpering bundle from Lee. About 90 minutes later, Juliet had successfully delivered three kittens, two females and one male. All of them were strong and healthy, though the middle kitten, the boy, was much quieter than his two sisters. The older female was very noisy, meowing loudly and the other female kitten was whimpering a little, though quieter than her older sister.   
Lee and Elizabeth cleaned up and they placed the kittens near Juliet so they could nurse, “They’re so tiny!” squealed Lilly excitedly.  
Lee kissed her cheek and said, “Now you all know how it felt for us when you all were born.” Elizabeth and Rosemary nodded in agreement.   
“What are the kittens doing, Mommy?” asked Mary.  
“Well, they’re eating because Juliet is making special milk for them,” explained Elizabeth as best as she could.   
“Do human mommies make milk when they have babies?” asked Lilly.  
Rosemary nodded, “Yes, we do.”  
“William, don’t you remember when your sisters were born? How they both nursed from me because I made special milk for them?” Elizabeth asked softly.   
“Oh yeah,” William remembered and then leaned closer to Aaron and Lilly, “If the new baby is anything like them, it’ll eat a lot.”  
Rosemary chuckled, “That’s okay, you both nursed from my breasts a lot too.”  
“Mommy, should we bring Romeo down so he can see the kittens?” asked Lilly.   
“Princess, I think it’s just best if we let Juliet rest. No matter what species you are, giving birth is very tiring,” Lee kissed her cheek.  
“Alright,” Lilly moped. The Thorntons went home and Lee and Rosemary had their children go upstairs so they could discuss whether or not they would keep the kitten or find other homes for them. Lilly was coming out of the bathroom, when she heard Aaron meowing. She tilted her head slightly. Why on Earth was Aaron meowing? Then she heard another meow, but it wasn’t from her brother. It had to be Romeo because Juliet was downstairs so Lee and Rosemary could keep an eye on her. She barged into their room and crossed her arms over her chest, “What are you doing?!” she asked in astonishment.  
Aaron looked up at his sister, “Talking to Romeo.”  
Lilly shook her head in amusement, “Aaron, Romeo can’t understand you. You’re not a cat.”   
“But I think he can. Look,” Aaron laid back down in his stomach, “Meow. Meow.” Sure enough, Romeo meowed back.   
Lilly frowned, “Let me try!” she not so gently pushed Aaron out of the way. Aaron rolled his eyes, but decided to bite his tongue. He hated how bossy Lilly could be sometimes, yet somehow had everyone in town wrapped around her little finger, “Meow,” Lilly expressed. But Romeo stayed silent. Lilly tried meowing some more. Again, Romeo stayed mute. Aaron scooted next to his sister and meowed. Romeo meowed back at him. Lilly meowed once more but Romeo stayed quiet, “Why is he not talking back to me? Everyone loves me! And I’m so good at almost everything!”   
Aaron shrugged, “I don’t know. He’s always seemed to like me and Daddy better from the moment we brought them home. I don’t know why, he’s really quiet and shy most of the time.”  
Lilly huffed and stood angrily, “Well, I’m going to go see if Mommy and Daddy are letting us keep Juliet’s kittens. Maybe they’ll like me like they’re supposed to.” She furiously stomped out of the room.   
Aaron took a deep breath to quill his frustration and scratched behind Romeo’s ears, to which the feline began to purr in contentment, “Yeah, I know. It takes a lot of patience to deal with her sometimes because she’s so overbearing. I don’t know how Mommy and Daddy do it.” Romeo just meowed in agreement.


	39. Chapter 39

The weeks were flying by for everyone in Hope Valley. It was now nearing Easter time, so Frank was naturally busy with Holy Week approaching. The town residents were organizing the donations for the homeless population in Calgary and the drive had received a plethora of toys, coats, food, clothing, and other basic necessities. Phillip’s adoption ceremony would take place on Saturday and Shane, Faith, Abigail, and Frank were busy planning a celebration party for him. The Coulter family was adjusting to life with five cats as Lee and Rosemary had decided it was best for the kittens to stay with Juliet. Lilly and Aaron had been thrilled with the new additions and had even been tasked with the naming of the three little ones. Lilly had chosen the names Ivy and Jasmine for the female kittens (in keeping with the flower name theme of the women in their family) and Aaron had chosen the name Wally, “He just looks like a Wally,” he had said.   
Jesse and Clara’s wedding plans were coming along nicely as well. They had set their wedding date for June 15h, they were completing their pre-martial counseling sessions with Frank, they had planned the majority of the reception meal with Abigail, though they had yet to decide on the cake flavor, and Rosemary and Dottie were hard at work designing Clara’s wedding gown. But there was one aspect that nobody in town knew about their wedding day: who would serve in the wedding party.  
Clara and Jesse were having dinner in the saloon one Friday evening, though Clara was unusually quiet, “Is something wrong, honey?” asked Jesse.   
“No,” Clara picked at her food, “Everything tastes great.”  
Jesse grabbed Clara’s hand, forcing his fiancée to look up at him, “Clara, we’re going to be married soon. We can’t keep secrets from each other, as you know what Pastor Frank has been saying in our counseling sessions. Now what’s wrong?”   
“Just sounds silly, that’s all,” admitted Clara, “I have no idea who I want to serve as my bridesmaids/brides matrons, but especially the Maid or Matron of Honor.”  
“Oh,” chuckled Jesse, “Yeah, I know how you feel. I’m having a tough time deciding on my grooms’ men and Best Man.”  
“I mean, I’m not super close with Dottie, Molly, or Florence. I feel if I choose Abigail, then I’m being disloyal to you because, well, she is Peter’s mother. Rosemary is your boss’s wife, and then there’s Elizabeth, who has served as a Matron of Honor twice, at both Rosie and Abigail’s weddings, but without Jack here…” Clara trailed off, “I don’t want to upset anyone,” she admitted truthfully, “Then there’s the Flower Girl and you know Lilly Coulter made it pretty clear she wants it, but then I remember the fact that she’s your boss’s daughter.”   
Jesse smiled a little, “Well, if it makes you feel any better, I’m having a little trouble with that decision too.”  
“Really?” asked Clara.  
Jesse nodded, “I know I’m going to have Shane, Hickam, and Murphy as my grooms’ men, but I want to ask Mr. Coulter to be my Best Man. I don’t know how to ask him without making it awkward at work because it has nothing to do with kissing up to him or trying to get ahead or anything like that. He is the one that gave me a second chance here in Hope Valley.”  
“Well, if you’re asking Shane Cantrell, then it’s probably a good idea to pair Faith with her husband, I’ll probably ask Elizabeth, Rosemary, and Abigail, I just haven’t decided about my Matron of Honor between the four of them.”   
“Well, you still have time to decide,” said Jesse, “Now did you want dessert future Mrs. Flynn?”  
Clara smiled, “Of course, Mr. Flynn.”   
******************************************************************************  
The next morning, the Cantrell family was getting ready to ride into Cape Fullerton for Phillip’s adoption ceremony. Phillip was attempting to tie his tie when Faith walked into the room. She chuckled to herself as she watched him struggle a little and then went to help him, “Here, let me help you, sweet boy.”  
“Thanks. I’m not really good at tying a tie yet,” he admitted.  
“That’s okay. Your father can’t tie a tie well either and he’s a grown-up,” Faith smiled. Once she had finished helping Phillip, she turned him around to face her and took a deep breath, “Well, I guess this is it. I’m going to officially become your Mommy today.”  
“Yeah, I guess so,” said Phillip, “I know you make Daddy really happy. He hadn’t been happy for a long time until he met you.”  
Faith grinned and stroked Phillip’s cheek, “But he’s the first to admit you’re the best thing that ever happened to him.”   
Phillip smiled, “I know I don’t remember my Mommy, err, my other Mommy very well, but from what Daddy tells me about her, I think she would’ve really liked you.”  
Faith smiled and hugged Phillip, “Well, I’m grateful to her for giving me you.”  
Shane knocked on the door and poked his head into the room, “Are you both ready to leave? The stage coach should be here in Hope Valley any minute.”  
Phillip smiled and grabbed Faith’s hand, “Yeah, we’re ready.”   
******************************************************************************  
The Cantrells arrived in Cape Fullerton by mid-morning and the judge swore all of them in. He looked over the paperwork that Shane and Faith had filled out and asked, “If you would all please introduce yourselves?”  
Shane and Faith stepped forward and Shane cleared his throat, “Your Honor, my name is Shane Cantrell, my wife Faith Cantrell, and my son, Phillip Cantrell,” he motioned towards his family.   
“And you, Faith Cantrell, would like to officially adopt Phillip Michael Cantrell? To love him and raise him as your own?” asked the judge.  
“I do, Your Honor,” she responded.   
The judge turned his head towards Phillip, “And do you, Phillip Cantrell, wish to have Faith Sarah Cantrell as your legally adoptive mother?”  
Phillip took a deep breath. He had prayed about this moment, asking God to give him the strength to do His Will and to let his Mommy in Heaven know that he still loved her but that he loved Faith too. But he had thought about it and prayed about enough that he was confident in his response. He looked between Shane and Faith and then looked towards the judge, “Yes, sir.”  
“Then by Circuit Court in the province of Alberta, I hereby grant the adoption of Phillip Michael Cantrell by Faith Sarah Cantrell,” the judge banged his gavel and signed the paperwork.  
Phillip looked up at his father and his new mother before the family shared a hug. Their first official hug as father, mother, and son.   
******************************************************************************  
Around mid-afternoon, the Cantrells were back in Hope Valley and the entire town was in celebration mode, “I’m so happy for you all!” Elizabeth hugged Phillip followed by Faith and Shane.   
“Thank you, Mrs. Thornton,” said Phillip.  
“I know you will be a wonderful mother,” said Rosemary, “You’ve loved this little boy as if he was your own from the moment you and Shane started courting.”  
“Thank you, Rosie. That means a lot,” smiled Faith.   
“If I could propose a toast,” Frank held up his glass and everyone turned to face their pastor, “Well, I know this town always seems to be celebrating something,” he began and everyone laughed, “But today, we have good reason to do so. Today, the Lord and the rest of Hope Valley witnessed a family come together as one. Shane, Faith, Phillip, I know God has a wonderful plan for all of your lives and I am confident there is a reason He had you all find each other. So here’s to the Cantrell family!”  
“To the Cantrell family!” everyone chorused.


	40. Chapter 40

It was Holy Week in Hope Valley and the women were spending their mornings organizing the various donations to be transported to Calgary during Easter week. Even Faith and Elizabeth were helping out, as Elizabeth had decided to let the children do some of the organizing as part of their lessons (they weren’t really focusing in the classroom, so she felt some hands on experiences would be good for them). The kids were tasked with organizing the toys while the women organized the food and clothes, “So, Mrs. Cantrell, how has the first few days of official motherhood been treating you?” asked Molly.  
“Honestly, pretty good,” she answered, “Though truthfully, I was already a mother to Phillip in every way. It’s just official now,” she smiled.  
“Well, I promise you, it’ll be the best job you ever have,” said Florence.   
“And speaking of motherhood, Rosemary, is everything going with the pregnancy?” asked Cat.   
“Pretty well,” she responded and then yawned, “Though I do wish the little hands and feet would settle down at bedtime. I can hardly get any sleep because there’s definitely a nightly celebration happening in here,” she smiled and rubbed her abdomen, “Not to mention the foot swelling, the stretch marks, the heartburn, the backaches, the leg cramps, and other assorted discomforts.”   
“Well, hang in there, but you do know it’ll get worse before it gets better,” sympathized Abigail.  
“Yeah, I know,” Rosemary sighed, “The only good thing is that the frame of the house should be completed by the end of April so Lee and I can start buying furniture and designing the kids’ and the baby’s rooms. Lilly is more than happy to help me order furniture and do some interior decorating.”  
“Believe me, Mary and Charlotte are as well,” chuckled Elizabeth.  
“Speaking of which, have you heard from Constable Thornton?” asked Florence.  
“I got a letter the other day,” said Elizabeth excitedly, “He’s doing well, his unit is settled in, and so far, it’s been pretty calm there.”  
“Let’s pray it stays that way,” said Molly.   
Elizabeth glanced at the time and said, “Well, I really should be getting the children back to the schoolhouse. I do have a list of spelling words to provide them before Easter break. Have a nice day ladies.”  
“Thanks for your help Elizabeth,” waved Abigail along with the other women.   
******************************************************************************  
Later that night, after Elizabeth had made dinner and put the kids to bed, she decided to write in her journal. It always calmed her, especially during the times Jack was away on assignments. She made herself a cup of tea and sat down at the dining room table. She began her entry, _“Today is the Wednesday of Holy Week. It has been a few weeks since my darling Jack left for Saskatchewan. I miss him each and every day and I pray for him when I get up in the morning and before I fall asleep at night. I know God is watching over him, and I know he’s defending Canada, but I hope he comes home soon. I miss his hugs, I miss his kisses, and I miss watching him be a father to our children. I miss him…terribly.”_  
“Mommy?”   
Elizabeth looked up and saw Mary standing at the bottom of the stairs, “What is it, sweetheart?”  
“I can’t sleep. I’m worried about Daddy,” said Mary.  
Elizabeth walked towards the sofa and had Mary sit on her lap, “I know you’re worried about him, sweetheart. I’m worried about him as well.”  
“When is he coming home?” asked Mary with puppy dog eyes.  
Elizabeth choked back a few tears, “I don’t know, Mary. Daddy doesn’t know when he’ll be home either.”  
Mary laid her head against her mother’s chest, “I pray for Daddy every night.”  
“And I’m sure Daddy appreciates that gesture,” acknowledged Elizabeth, “Now, you need to try and get some sleep.”   
“Can I sleep with tonight?” asked Mary.  
“Sure,” Elizabeth nodded, “I just need to clean up my tea cup and then I’ll be up.”  
Mary nodded, “Okay, I love you, Mommy.”  
“I love you too.” Elizabeth went to clean out her teacup and saucer before she noticed Mary had fallen asleep on the couch. She carefully cradled her daughter in her arms and carried her to the master bedroom, cuddling next to her in bed. Soon her daughter’s steady breath also caused Elizabeth to drift off into a much needed sleep.   
******************************************************************************  
Next door, Rosemary and Lilly were alone on the first floor. Lee and Aaron had moved on to reading _Treasure Island_ so they were both in the master bedroom. Lilly was more than willing to assist Rosemary as she browsed through the furniture catalog, “How about that pink chair for the living room?” asked Lilly pointing to it.  
Rosemary looked at Lilly skeptically, “Lilly, do you really think Daddy and Aaron would want to sit in a hot pink chair?”  
“They wouldn’t have to sit in it,” said Lilly, “They could sit in the purple one!” she pointed to the purple one.  
“Okay, tell you what, Lilly Bug? How about we choose neutral colors for the living area and then you can choose some other colors for your room? Understand?” Rosemary negotiated.  
“Fine,” Lilly huffed, “But I still think the pink chair would look good in the living room.”   
Rosemary chuckled and ruffled her hair, “I know you would, dear.”  
“Mommy?”  
“Hmm?” asked Rosie, only half paying attention at this point.  
“What needs to go in the baby’s room?”  
Rosemary bolted her head up, shocked that Lilly was taking an interest in the baby, “Well, Daddy’s building a sturdy crib and a cradle for the baby to sleep in, but we’ll also need to get a changing table, a dresser, a toy box, and some new more clothes and some toys for the baby. We’ll also need to get a rocking chair so I’ll have place to feed him or her.”   
“Like Juliet feeds Ivy, Wally, and Jasmine by the window?” asked Lilly cutely.   
Rosemary chuckled, “Yeah, like that.”   
Almost as if she was listening into the conversation, Juliet strutted over to the two girls and jumped into Lilly’s lap, purring happily when Lilly began to scratch behind her ears, “Meow,” Lilly exclaimed.  
Rosemary glanced over at her daughter scowling in confusion, “Lilly Bug, what are you doing?”  
“Trying something,” Lilly whispered back, “Meow,” she exclaimed again. Soon, Juliet meowed and Lilly beamed with delight, “Did you see that Mommy!? She meowed at me!”  
“Oh, sweetheart, I’m sure it was just a coincidence,” said Rosemary, “Meow,” Rosemary echoed in front of Juliet. Juliet stayed silent.  
Lilly tried meowing again and Juliet answered back, “See! See! Aaron can talk to Romeo and I can talk to Juliet! I have to go tell Daddy and Aaron!” she placed Juliet down on the floor and ran towards the stairs.  
“Hold on, Little Flower,” called Rosie and Lilly turned around, “You know this is Daddy and Aaron’s special father-son time, so why don’t you wait until later tonight?”  
“Okay,” Lilly bounced back over to the table. She meowed again and Juliet meowed back. Rosemary couldn’t help but laugh in amusement.


	41. Chapter 41

Saturday morning, everyone in Hope Valley was aiding in decorating the church for the Easter Vigil service later that night. Everyone was hard at work to make sure the preparations were in place before they went about their days. Just as the Thorntons, the Cantrells, and the Coulters were about to leave, Jesse and Clara stopped them all and Clara asked, “Would you all meet us over at Abigail’s? We have something we’d like to ask you all?”  
“Of course,” they all responded. Once they all arrived at the café, Jesse pulled the men aside and Clara had the women meet in the sitting area; the children were playing with each other for the time being. Jesse and Clara would speak with them next. Faith, Rosemary, and Elizabeth sat down on the couch with Abigail and Clara sat down across from them, “Well, Jesse and I have been talking a lot about who will serve in our wedding party. You all mean the world to me, so I was having a lot of trouble deciding on who I wanted to serve as what position in my bridal party, but I’ve finally decided that, I want you all to serve as my Matrons of Honor,” she smiled.   
All of the women glanced at each other and grinned from ear to ear, “Oh Clara, of course I accept,” Abigail took her hand.  
“Me too,” affirmed Elizabeth.   
“Me as well,” said Faith.  
Everyone looked at Rosemary, “Well do you really think I’d say no,” she waved her hands around in astonishment.   
“Good,” said Clara, “Rosemary, maybe you can help Dottie with the bridesmaids’ dresses once we choose a design. And of course, Dottie will need to take all of your measurements.”  
“Of course,” all of them answered and Rosemary glanced down at her figure, rubbed a hand over her bump, and raised her eyebrows at Clara, “We’ll make sure to do your dress last.”  
“Good because I don’t think I’ll be the same size two months from now,” sighed Rosemary.  
“Oh Rosie, you’ll be beautiful,” said Elizabeth.  
“Easy for you to say,” smirked Rosemary.  
“Hey, I carried twins. You have no room to talk,” Elizabeth joked.   
“Anyway,” Clara interrupted them.  
“Sorry,” Rosemary apologized and glanced over at Clara.  
“We were thinking we’d like Timmy Lawson to play the music, for Cody and Anna to light candles, Phillip, Robert, Hattie, Emily, and Opal could help usher, but for the flower girl and the ring bearer, Elizabeth, Rosie, we’d be honored if William, Aaron, and Lilly would take on those roles.”  
“Two ring bearers?” asked Elizabeth in surprise.  
“Well, there are two rings,” shrugged Clara.   
“Well, why don’t you ask them,” smiled Rosemary. She went to get her children and William and had them sit on the couch.   
Clara crouched down to their level and looked William and Aaron in the eyes, “Well, you all know that Mr. Jesse and I are getting married in a few months. We were both wondering if you boys wanted to serve as our ring bearers?”  
“What’s a ring bearer?” asked Aaron.  
“It’s a young boy who walks down the aisle carrying the bride and groom’s wedding rings on a pillow and hands them to Pastor Frank when he’s ready to bless them and have Mr. Jesse and Mrs. Clara exchange them,” explained Rosemary.  
“A ring bearer? Me?” asked William happily and Aaron smiled.  
“I take that as a yes,” said Elizabeth.  
Clara turned to Lilly and took her hand, “And all brides need someone special to be their flower girl. Would you be my flower girl, Ms. Lillian Coulter?”  
A broad smile spread across Lilly’s face and she began to jump up and down excitedly, “Yes, yes, YES!” she threw herself into Clara’s arms, “Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you, Mrs. Clara!”  
Clara chuckled and embraced Lilly, “You’re welcome.”  
Lilly pulled back and clapped her hands together, “Do I get to help design my dress?”  
“We’ll work on that Little Flower. Maybe after we get back from New York City,” said Rosemary.  
“Oh that’s right, you leave tomorrow don’t you?” asked Abigail.  
“Yes, after services. In fact we have to go home and finish packing,” said Rosemary. Just then, Jesse came over with Lee, Shane, Hickam, and Murphy.  
“Well, it looks like the bridal party is all set,” Jesse smiled.  
“Daddy, Daddy, I get to be the flower girl!” Lilly told Lee happily.   
“Well, that’s great Kiddo,” Lee lifted her into his arms and kissed her cheek.  
“I’m assuming we have four Best Men?” asked Faith hesitantly and they all nodded.   
Lee looked at the time, “Well, we better get home. We have to finish packing for our trip. Oh Elizabeth, you promised to stop by and feed the cats and keep an eye on the kittens whie we’re away, correct?”  
“That is correct,” Elizabeth affirmed, “They’ll be in good hands, Lee.”   
“Thanks,” said Lee, “Have a good afternoon everyone. See you tonight!” waved Lee as his family followed.  
******************************************************************************  
The Coulters arrived home and since it didn’t take long for Lee and Aaron to pack their trunks, they decided to take a trip down to the saw mill to make sure everything was set before Lee left for a week. Rosemary, on the other hand, was stuck helping Lilly decide what she did and didn’t want to take with her, “I definitely want to take the dress Daddy gave me for Valentine’s Day so I can wear it when we go to the theater, but I don’t know what to bring otherwise.”   
“Well, just remember, we’re only going to be gone a week, Lilly Bug,” Rosemary reminded her from her place on Lilly’s bed.  
“Mommy, can I ask you a question?”  
“Always.”  
“What was it like to live in New York? Did you get to do a lot of shopping and sightseeing?” Lilly turned around and hopped up on her bed next to Rosie.  
“Well, some, but I didn’t always have the time. I did have to go to auditions, rehearsals, performances, plus I taught music and acting classes while I lived there,” answered Rosemary, “But I did get to see some of the sites.”  
“Well, why did you move to Hope Valley if you liked living in New York?” asked Lilly.  
Rosemary hesitated, her brain scrambling for an answer without mentioning her relationship with Jack, “Because I missed Canada.”  
“But why Hope Valley? You’re from Quebec,” responded Lilly.   
“Well, having lived in the suburbs of Montreal and Ottawa and then a bust metropolis like New York City, I felt it was time for a change, time to settle down. And with Maman and Papa gone, I didn’t have any family left in Canada so I was looking for a family-like community. Plus Uncle Jack was stationed here, so I had at least one familiar face. That’s why I came to Hope Valley. But New York City is really special to me and that’s why Daddy and I went there on our honeymoon.”  
“Did you show Daddy everything you did in New York?”  
“Yes, we did a lot of the same things we’ll do next week,” said Rosemary.   
“Well, I’m glad you came to Hope Valley,” smiled Lilly.  
“Why’s that, sweetheart?”  
“Because then you met Daddy and he makes you really happy. I hope I marry a man like Daddy someday,” said Lilly.  
“Well, lucky for me and Daddy, that day is a long way off,” said Rosemary, wrapping her arm around Lilly, “Right now, I want you to stay little for as long as possible. Can you do that for me?”  
“I can try,” said Lilly, “But I don’t think it’ll happen.”   
Rosemary smiled and kissed her forehead, “That’s okay; you’ll always be my little Lilly Bug. Now come on, we have to finish packing for New York.”  
Lilly nodded and went back to her closet, “I still don’t know what dresses I should bring.”


	42. Chapter 42

Easter morning arrived and the Hope Valley residents were up bright and early for church. Once everyone was seated, Frank took his place at the pulpit and began the service, “Alleluia. Christ is risen!”  
“The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.”  
“Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires, and whom no secrets are hid; Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen,” Frank stepped down and moved closer to the congregation, “Today is the day we celebrate the risen Lord, the day He overcame death and opened the gates of Heaven. Just as Christ sacrificed Himself for us, as Christians, we are called to take up our own crosses during our journeys through life. It can be a struggle, but with a community and the help of Savior, we can overcome our sins and our struggles, just as Christ overcame death.”  
After the service, the residents went to Abigail’s for celebration while Jesse assisted the Coulters with their trunks and Elizabeth and the Thornton children went to give their temporary farewells, “Whose trunk is this, Mr. Coulter?” asked Jesse as he struggled to help Lee lift it onto the coach.  
“That would be Lilly’s trunk,” his boss answered.  
“What does she have in here?” asked Jesse in astonishment.  
“Pretty much her entire wardrobe,” confirmed Lee.  
They went to grab the next trunk, also just as heavy as the previous one, “Mrs. Coulter’s trunk, sir?” Jesse ventured.  
Lee nodded, “Also decided to take her entire wardrobe just in case.”  
Next, they picked up Aaron’s trunk and it weighed a lot as well, “Sir, Aaron couldn’t possibly have brought his entire wardrobe with him!”  
“No, he just brought his entire car collection as entertainment for the train ride,” stated Lee. Thankfully, Lee’s trunk was light enough he could hoist it on his own, “Send a telegram to the St. Regis Hotel if something serious happens, but other than that, everything should be in place for you and the other men.”  
“Well, have a good trip, Mr. Coulter, Mrs. Coulter,” Jesse said. He crouched down in front of Lilly and Aaron and said, “I want to hear about everything you guys saw when you get back.”  
They both nodded eagerly. Jesse high-fived them and then left to go to café. Elizabeth crouched down and hugged them both, “Well, I hope you both have a wonderful time in New York City,” she beamed.  
“Oh we will, Aunt Elizabeth,” stated Lilly confidently.  
“Alright, up you go,” Lee lifted Lilly onto the coach followed by Aaron, “Cat food is in the lower cabinet. They get fed twice a day.”  
“They’re in good hands, Lee,” Elizabeth embraced him and then kissed Rosemary on both cheeks, “Well, I know you won’t get to see much, but I hope you enjoy yourself as well,” Elizabeth said to Rosemary’s belly. She received a not-so-gentle kick in response.  
“I think she likes her Auntie Elizabeth,” Rosemary grinned.  
“But if you’re a boy, we’ll still love you,” said Lee. He helped Rosemary onto the coach and waved to Elizabeth, “Happy Easter, Elizabeth.”  
“Have a good time everyone!” Elizabeth waved.  
Lee took a seat next to Aaron and the coach pulled away from the stop, “Alright, New York City, here we come!”  
“Yeah!” the rest of his family cheered.  
******************************************************************************  
After a long day and a half of traveling, the Coulter family arrived in New York City around mid-morning Monday. As they rode the train to Grand Central Station, Lilly and Aaron’s eyes were as bright as the stars as they gazed out the window, watching the NYC skyline pass by in front of them. Lee and Rosemary smiled at each other as fond memories flooded the both of them. Once they arrived at the train station, Lee obtained a luggage cart and grabbed their trunks before they stepped out onto the main terminal. One of the bellhops helped them out onto the street and Lee laid his hands on his children’s shoulders once they stepped outside, “Lilly, Aaron, welcome to New York City.”  
They both looked around with delight, the tall skyscrapers, the bustling city dwellers, the aroma of the street vendors, the sounds of the taxis and subway trains passing; it was everything they had both dreamed it would be and more, “Daddy, it’s better than I imagined!” said Lilly wistfully.  
“Did you feel this way when you first came here, Daddy?” asked Aaron.  
“Well, the first time I was ever here was our honeymoon,” he wrapped his arm around Rosie, “But the answer is yes.”  
“So, how are we getting to the hotel exactly since we don’t have Daddy’s car?” asked Aaron.  
“Mommy’s got you covered,” Lee gestured to Rosemary. She quickly went to the edge of the sidewalk and whistled as loudly as she could. A taxi immediately pulled over to them.  
“Wow! I never knew you could do that, Mommy!” smiled Lilly, thoroughly impressed by her mother’s hidden talent.  
“It’s a skill I picked up while I lived here,” boasted Rosemary.  
“And a useful one when we wanted to get back to the hotel mid-afternoon,” Lee smirked at his wife as he loaded the trunks into the cab.  
Lilly and Aaron scowled, “Why would you go the hotel mid-afternoon?”  
“For a nap,” Rosemary answered and thankfully her children were satisfied with the response. They arrived at their hotel and one of the bellhops helped Lee bring the trunks up to the room. Unlike their honeymoon, Lee had decided to book one of the deluxe rooms with two double beds, though clearly he hadn’t thought of the fact that Lilly and Aaron would have to sleep in the same bed.  
“Mommy, Daddy, there’s only two beds and four of us,” observed Lilly.  
“Well, Mommy and I will be sleeping in the same bed and you’ll have to share a bed with your brother,” Lee said.  
Lilly wrinkled her nose, “I’d rather share a bed with Mommy.”  
“Trust me, you don’t want to share a bed with me right now,” said Rosemary.  
“Why not?” asked Lilly.  
“Because I move around a lot due to the baby moving around and kicking me all night. It’s sometimes hard for me to get comfortable,” explained Rosemary.  
“Oh,” Lilly sighed.  
“Oh come on it’ll be fun!” said Lee, “Think of it as a slumber party,” he leaned closer to Lilly, “And remember, Princess, when we get back, the structure of the house will be finished so it won’t be much longer before we’ll be moving into it and you’ll be getting your own room.”  
“That’s right,” said Lilly, “Okay, I’ll share a bed with Aaron. As long as I can paint my room hot purple and pink!”  
Lee sighed, “Deal.”  
“And I get that hot pink chair that Mommy won’t let me put in the living room?”  
Lee sighed, “Alright.”  
“And we get to help decorate the baby’s room?” chimed in Aaron.  
“Fine,” Lee answered.  
Lilly hopped up onto the bed and pushed Aaron aside, “Move over! You’re on my side of the bed!”  
Aaron shifted and muttered under his breath, “At this point, I’m willing to sleep with Mommy.”


End file.
